Two Women Seated on a Cloud, and Two Putti

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s drawing, Two Women Seated on a Cloud, and Two Putti, exemplifies the mastery of preparatory sketches during the Venetian Rococo period. Executed between 1696 and 1770, the piece uses pen and brown ink combined with a brush and pale yellow-brown wash. Tiepolo typically employed an underlying structure of leadpoint or black chalk to establish the initial contours of the composition, a layering technique visible here that provides a luminous, yet rapid, treatment of volume and shadow essential for large-scale fresco projects.

The composition centers on two elegant Women draped in classical robes, positioned dynamically upon a celestial cloud formation, suggesting an allegorical or mythological scene. They are accompanied by two playfully rendered Putti, iconography typical of the Baroque and Rococo styles which frequently symbolized divine messages or the quickness of thought. Tiepolo’s distinctive use of wash allows the light to appear directional and dramatic, defining the figures' forms while simultaneously conveying the vaporous quality of the atmosphere they inhabit. This method of drafting highlights his fluency in conveying complex arrangements with minimal effort.

As a leading figure in 18th-century European art, Tiepolo often used drawings such as this one to plan vast ceiling frescoes and allegorical commissions throughout Italy and Europe. This study is an important example of his drafting style near the height of his career. The work resides within the comprehensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its historical significance and the artist's stature, high-resolution digital prints of this significant drawing are frequently made available through the public domain.