Various Caprices: The Cavalier Mounting his Horse

"Various Caprices: The Cavalier Mounting his Horse" by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is a definitive example of 18th-century Italian printmaking, executed in etching between 1730 and 1755. This piece belongs to Tiepolo’s celebrated series, the Vari Capricci (Various Caprices), which showcases the artist's imaginative genius outside the large-scale fresco commissions for which he is most renowned.

In this intimate work, Tiepolo demonstrates his complete mastery of the etching technique, utilizing delicate, flowing lines and complex cross-hatching to define shadow, texture, and volume. The print captures a dynamic moment: a cavalier, possibly a soldier, preparing to mount his steed, surrounded by supporting figures and other elements characteristic of the caprice genre. These elements—often including mysterious groups, fragments of classical architecture, or indistinct figures—lend the composition a powerful, atmospheric mood, placing emphasis on dramatic lighting and inventive composition rather than clear narrative precision.

As one of the most prolific draftsmen and painters of 18th-century Venice, Tiepolo used these series of prints to explore mythological and genre subjects with remarkable freedom, often influencing later generations of Italian artists. The creation and distribution of high-quality prints ensured that the influential style of Tiepolo reached a wider audience throughout Italy and Europe. Today, this specific example of Various Caprices: The Cavalier Mounting his Horse resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and its image is frequently available as part of public domain efforts to share historical prints.