Head of a Bishop
ca. 1742-57
Meet this weary-looking bishop, whose long, flowing beard and tall, pointed mitre dominate this octagonal sheet. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a giant of the Venetian Rococo, didn't need a full palette to bring this character to life—just swift strokes of pen and brown wash. The sketch feels incredibly alive, as if Tiepolo caught the old man mid-sigh, with loose scribbles on the hat suggesting decoration without overworking it.
- Technique
- Pen and brown ink with brown wash
- Material
- Paper
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