The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek

The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, 1696–1770 is a preparatory or finished drawing executed relatively early in the artist’s career, likely between 1709 and 1725. The work exemplifies the technical versatility of the young master. This detailed composition was created using pen and brown ink, meticulously paired with brush and extensive brown and gray wash, all applied over an initial foundational sketch in black chalk on ivory laid paper. This complex layering of media highlights Tiepolo’s developing mastery in using wash to manipulate light and shadow, defining form and atmosphere with remarkable speed and economy.

The subject matter depicts the biblical encounter described in Genesis 14, where Melchizedek, the King of Salem and a priest of the Most High God, offers Abraham bread and wine following the patriarch’s military victory. This dramatic, large-scale composition is characteristic of Baroque and early Rococo Italian art and signals Tiepolo's rapid emergence as a preeminent figure in the vibrant artistic tradition of Venice. The dynamic handling of figures and the energetic application of wash suggest a sense of bustling action, typical of the narrative energy the 1696–1770 artist would later perfect in his grand fresco cycles.

The skillful execution of this drawing makes it an important document for tracing Tiepolo’s stylistic journey from his early influences towards the monumental decorative schemes he became celebrated for across Europe. Although the original The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek drawing resides within the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, high-quality reference photographs and prints of works from this period are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread scholarly access to the foundations of this Italian master's extensive oeuvre.