Young Lady in a Tricorn Hat

Young Lady in a Tricorn Hat by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, executed in oil on canvas between 1755 and 1760, stands as a compelling example of late Italian Rococo and transitional 18th-century portraiture. This painting originates from the critical years spanning 1751 to 1775, a time when Tiepolo was reaching the apex of his international fame, though the European art scene was rapidly shifting toward Neoclassicism.

The work focuses intimately on the unidentified young subject, who is rendered with the characteristic luminosity and rapid, assured brushwork that define Tiepolo's mature style. The sitter is depicted wearing a fashionable, albeit slightly unconventional, tricorn hat that casts a subtle shadow over her brow, dominating the composition while drawing attention to the expressive quality of her gaze.

Tiepolo skillfully utilizes the fluid nature of oil on canvas to achieve soft transitions in tone, particularly around the face and shoulders, highlighting the textures of the fabric against the neutral, shadowed background. While the piece bears the hallmarks of a formal portrait commission, the intimacy and immediacy suggest it may also function as a capriccio or figure study, capturing a transient moment of character rather than stiff, state-based formality.

This highly regarded painting illustrates the enduring mastery of the Italian artist, serving as an important record of secular fashion and style during the final decades of the Venetian Republic. Today, this treasured canvas is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it provides insight into the breadth of Tiepolo’s output. Because the artwork is now widely considered part of the public domain, high-quality prints and scholarly reference materials are broadly available, ensuring the continued study and appreciation of Young Lady in a Tricorn Hat.