Three Cherubs and a Beribboned Staff

The drawing Three Cherubs and a Beribboned Staff by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, created circa 1750, is a highly refined example of preparatory work executed during the artist’s most prolific period. This study is executed in red chalk on blue paper, a combination Tiepolo frequently favored to achieve subtle tonal variations and luminosity. The white chalk heightening enhances the three-dimensionality and weightlessness of the figures, contributing to the delicate balance between classical form and Rococo lightness characteristic of his best work.

The subject depicts three putti or cherubic figures clustered dynamically around a staff decorated with fluttering ribbons. These charming figures were likely studies for a larger decorative scheme, perhaps an architectural fresco or an altarpiece commissioned during the mid-18th century. Tiepolo, the preeminent Venetian painter of his time, often utilized such detailed studies to plan the complex figural groups that populated his sprawling ceiling cycles.

Crucially, the heads of the two upper cherubs show clear evidence of incising. This technical detail confirms the work’s function as a critical stage in the creative process; incising was a mechanical method used by Tiepolo’s workshop to transfer the essential outlines of the composition onto another surface, such as a large canvas or plaster wall. Executed during the peak period of his activity between 1726 to 1750, the drawing exemplifies the energetic and swift draftsmanship for which this great Italian master is renowned. This significant piece resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing invaluable insight into Tiepolo’s preparatory methods before he embarked on his final, spectacular compositions, and making available historical context for scholars and those seeking high-quality prints of Italian draftsmanship.