Holy Family with St. John and Two Angels

The Holy Family with St. John and Two Angels by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, 1696–1770, is a masterful drawing characterized by its dynamic application of ink and wash. Created sometime between 1716 and 1762, the composition was executed on ivory laid paper using pen and brown ink, supplemented extensively with a brush and brown ink wash. This technical approach allows for subtle gradations of shadow and light, defining the figures and creating a powerful sense of three-dimensional volume without relying on color. As a preparatory study, the broad dating range suggests the work either represents an early idea or an established style utilized throughout Tiepolo’s extensive career.

The iconography centers on the Holy Family, featuring the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Joseph, here joined by the infant St. John the Baptist and two attending angels. Tiepolo, a leading figure of the late Italian Baroque and Rococo periods, frequently explored religious themes with dramatic flair, even in preliminary sketches like this. The work exemplifies the artist’s characteristic fluid line and his ability to convey movement and emotion with minimal strokes. Such detailed drawings were crucial tools, often serving as initial concepts for the large-scale ceiling and altarpiece commissions that dominated the vibrant artistic culture of 18th-century Italy.

As an important example of the artist’s graphic output, the piece is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The careful preservation of the drawing allows contemporary audiences crucial insight into Tiepolo’s working process. Due to its age and historical significance, the original work is safeguarded, though high-quality prints derived from the museum’s documentation are often available as part of the public domain.