Saint Thecla Praying for the Plague-Stricken

Saint Thecla Praying for the Plague-Stricken by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, painted between 1758 and 1759, is a monumental oil on canvas work embodying the dramatic style of late Venetian Rococo. Created during the artist's mature period, the painting illustrates the miracle of Saint Thecla, an early Christian figure historically invoked as an intercessor against infectious disease, particularly the plague. The complex composition reflects contemporary religious belief regarding spiritual aid during periods of intense suffering.

Tiepolo masterfully divides the canvas into distinct terrestrial and celestial zones. Below, groups of afflicted men and women are depicted with powerful emotion, seeking solace and cure. Saint Thecla kneels prominently in the center foreground, directing her fervent prayers upward. The success of her intercession is visually confirmed in the upper register, where angels guide her supplications toward the apex of the scene, where God the Father appears in a brilliant burst of divine light. The scale and luminous quality of the piece showcase Tiepolo’s renown as Europe's foremost decorative painter of the 18th century.

This important religious painting currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is a critical example of Baroque and Rococo devotional art, illustrating the transition of these styles before the rise of Neoclassicism. As a significant historical artwork, Saint Thecla Praying for the Plague-Stricken is widely studied, and high-quality prints derived from the original often enter the public domain, offering broad access to Tiepolo’s genius.