Winged Female Figure, River God, and a Nude Boy

Winged Female Figure, River God, and a Nude Boy is a highly characteristic drawing by the great Venetian Rococo master, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770). Executed in pen and brown ink, brush and pale and dark brown wash, over black chalk, this technique showcases the artist’s remarkable facility with chiaroscuro achieved through rapid, gestural lines and carefully controlled application of wash. Tiepolo, known primarily for his sweeping frescoes, frequently used such detailed preparatory drawings and compositional studies to refine figures before their transfer to large-scale architectural decorations. The fluidity and lightness of the washes are hallmarks of 18th-century Venetian draftsmanship and suggest the work was a study for a larger mythological or allegorical commission.

The composition centers on three dynamic figures representing allegorical concepts common in the period: a powerful, reclining male figure, identifiable as a River God by his classical pose and heavy musculature; a dynamic, lightly draped Winged Female Figure (perhaps Fame or Victory) positioned above him; and a small Nude Boy tucked into the foreground. The depiction of the Men and Women in this piece maintains classical grace while demonstrating Tiepolo’s characteristic dramatic flair for movement and light. The sketchiness of the pen work contrasts effectively with the rich atmospheric effect created by the two tones of brown wash.

This accomplished drawing provides unique insight into Tiepolo's artistic process during his prolific career spanning the first three quarters of the 18th century. The work is held in the renowned permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial example of Italian draftsmanship. As one of the many masterpieces now considered to be in the public domain, high-quality reference images and prints derived from The Met’s collection are widely accessible to researchers and enthusiasts studying the Venetian Rococo.