Head of a Magician

"Head of a Magician" is a remarkable drawing created by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo around 1760. Executed in pen and brown ink with expressive brown wash applied over preliminary black chalk, the work captures a figure known for their enigmatic or theatrical role. The careful layering of medium demonstrates Tiepolo’s sophisticated drawing technique: the black chalk establishes the underlying structure and form, while the broad, liquid application of brown wash defines the volume, depth, and dramatic shadow, lending the figure an intense psychological presence.

The classification of this piece as a drawing speaks to its function as a standalone work or a preparatory study. The fact that the sheet remains mounted on its original Tiepolo album page offers rare insight into the artist's methods of organizing and preserving his graphic output. This highly finished study dates from the latter half of Tiepolo’s prolific career, placing it squarely within the 1751 to 1775 period, when the Venetian master was operating at the height of his international fame.

Tiepolo, a dominant force in the late Italian Rococo tradition, frequently explored expressive subjects, utilizing rapid, fluid lines characteristic of the Venetian school. The identity of the "magician" subject aligns with his established interest in teste di carattere (character heads) or figures drawn from comedy, stagecraft, and allegorical sources, which he used both in his grand fresco cycles and as exercises in expressive draftsmanship.

This important work is part of the distinguished collection of the National Gallery of Art. The drawing's preservation and provenance reinforce its value as a primary source document for studying Tiepolo’s artistic process. While the original drawing remains within the NGA's holdings, the enduring quality of this Italian masterwork ensures that high-quality prints and digital reproductions of pieces like Head of a Magician are often made available through public domain resources, extending the accessibility of his genius to scholars and the public worldwide.