Standing Man in Sixteenth-Century Costume

Standing Man in Sixteenth-Century Costume is a highly characteristic drawing by the Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Executed using pen and brown ink combined with a delicate brown wash on laid paper, this work showcases Tiepolo’s masterful economy of line and his exceptional skill in modeling volume and atmosphere through subtle tonal variation. The piece exemplifies the rapid yet precise draughtsmanship for which the artist is renowned, employing decisive, broken strokes to define contours while allowing the warm wash to deepen the shadows and suggest the texture of the fabric.

Though Tiepolo’s active career spanned the late 17th and 18th centuries, the subject matter intentionally reflects the historical fashions prevalent during the period 1651 to 1700. Such historical costume studies were critical components of an Italian artist’s preparation, allowing Tiepolo to accurately establish the stance and detailed drapery necessary for his grand compositions, whether religious frescoes or mythological narratives. This drawing serves as a powerful example of preparatory work, focusing on the figure's elaborate historical attire. The overall effect demonstrates how the artist integrated studies of specific clothing—even archaic styles—into his broader visual vocabulary.

This important drawing resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, underscoring the museum’s commitment to preserving key examples of eighteenth-century Venetian art. As an essential study sheet from the master's prolific output, the work holds great historical significance. Today, being a classic example of Italian art that is well into the public domain, reference prints and detailed reproductions of this figure study are frequently utilized by scholars researching Tiepolo’s methods and the relationship between his drawings and his large-scale paintings.