Scherzo di Fantasia: Standing Warrior and King with Five Attendants

Scherzo di Fantasia: Standing Warrior and King with Five Attendants, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, is a masterful example of 18th-century Venetian draftsmanship. Executed using pen and brown ink, brush with pale and dark brown wash, the composition gains immediate depth and drama through the contrast of liquid media applied over preliminary leadpoint or black chalk sketches. Tiepolo’s innovative use of wash defines the figures and emphasizes the theatrical arrangement of the scene.

The term scherzo di fantasia suggests a playful or fantastical invention, and this drawing certainly delivers a complex, imaginative scenario characteristic of the Rococo era. The central composition features a commanding King, possibly referencing an antique monarch, alongside an imposing Standing Warrior clad in armor. These authoritative figures are contrasted by the accompanying group of Five Attendants, which notably includes elegantly rendered Female Nudes, a common element in Tiepolo's mythological and decorative work. The juxtaposition of fierce Soldiers and regal figures with classical studies demonstrates the artist's expansive range and ability to combine disparate subjects.

Tiepolo often compiled such energetic figure studies into albums, which later served as compositional guides for larger frescoes or as templates for reproductive prints. This dynamic drawing, characterized by rapid pen lines and brilliant tonal contrasts achieved through the controlled application of brown wash, highlights the artist's celebrated preparatory methods. This important work is housed in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, providing scholars and the public an intimate look at the great draftsman’s process. High-quality prints derived from this public domain masterwork ensure widespread access to Tiepolo's inventive genius.