Illustration for a Book: Cardinal Receiving a General at a City Gate

Illustration for a Book: Cardinal Receiving a General at a City Gate by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is a remarkable 18th-century drawing executed primarily in black chalk. The piece, created during the artist’s prolific career (1696-1770), exemplifies the highly skilled draftsmanship for which the great Venetian master is renowned. Technical analysis reveals the presence of faint black chalk lines ruled both horizontally and vertically across the surface. These centering lines indicate that the drawing served as a preparatory study, meticulously designed for precise scaling or transfer onto a larger surface, likely an etching plate or a large canvas.

The subject matter focuses on a formal, diplomatic, or allegorical meeting taking place outside imposing city gates. In the foreground, a high-ranking Cardinal stands ready to receive a General, who arrives with an entourage. Tiepolo’s composition dramatically stages the encounter, utilizing the architectural setting of the massive gates to frame the central exchange between the two key men. The surrounding figures include numerous soldiers and horses, providing dynamism and context to the arrival scene and highlighting the General's military standing.

This drawing is characteristic of Tiepolo’s preparatory work, showcasing his ability to conceptualize grand historical narratives through strong linear work and effective use of black chalk for depth and volume. This significant example of the artist’s graphic output resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Owing to its age and cultural importance, the work is now in the public domain, making high-resolution reproductions and reference prints readily available for scholarly access.