The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
c. 1726
Tiepolo captures the high-stakes drama of Greek mythology, sketching the tragic moment Iphigenia is about to be sacrificed to appease the goddess Artemis and let the Greek fleet sail to Troy. The loose, frantic lines show a priest raising a knife while armored soldiers crowd around, creating a palpable sense of chaotic tension. Rather than a polished final piece, this is a rapid 'thought on paper,' revealing how the Rococo master brainstormed grand compositions with incredible speed and fluidity. It’s essentially a 1700s storyboard for a mythological blockbuster.
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