GIOVANNI BATTISTA TIEPOLO

Creativity Tiepolo continued the great tradition of Venetian painting. But only in the twentieth century, he again received the recognition it deserves. Today the art of Tiepolo is considered the most significant phenomenon in the late baroque paintings.

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo was born in Venice March 5, 1696. His father, Domenico Tiepolo, merchant ship captain, died a year after the birth of a son. After the premature death of his father, Giovanni Tiepolo very young enrolled in training to authoritative Venetian painter Lazzarino, who took the foundations of monumental and decorative painting. Simultaneously, he studied at the greatest examples of the work of Venetian masters - Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese in particular.

In 1716 the artist had a twenty-first big success, holding his picture, which contemporaries called "drowning the Pharaoh", before Scuola di San Rocco. In 1719 Tiepolo married to Cecilia Guardi, sister of the famous landscape painter.

An example of the early period of activity can serve as a Tiepolo fresco in the Venetian church degli Scalzi - "The Apotheosis of St. Theresa (1720-1725), where he first introduces its new space-decorative compositions, as well as a number of easel paintings on mythological themes. Among the last great painting "Rape of the Sabine Women" (about 1720). The painting was passionately and freely, for it is quite suitable words of a young artist back in 1731 his first biographer Vicenza da Canal: "The style of painting by Tiepolo decisively and quickly, and his character - the inspiration and fire. "

On the early mature mastery Tiepolo show and created in 1725 approximately ten large decorative panels for the decoration of the palace of Venetian patrician Dolfin.

Photo — «Giovanni Battista Tiepolo»

They are characterized by a strong and expressive transfer heroic stories, plastic, vital convincing interpretation of the figures, the spatial pictorial composition, built on the colorful contrasts with the use of black and white effects.

". . . after 1725, when he receives an invitation to paint the frescoes of the cathedral and the residence of the Archbishop of Udine, Tiepolo completely overcomes here the influence of Piazzetta and finds his own original pictorial style. The frescoes of the palace at the stories of the Bible interpreted by them with extraordinary wit and courage. His characters are dressed in costumes of the Renaissance and live in sunny Italian landscape. Easy elegance and irony, a mixture of fairy tale and reality are characteristic of these frescoes "(LN Salmina).

Tiepolo′s reputation was by this time so high that he received orders far away from Venice. In subsequent years, large orders for fresco paintings helped him to fulfill his two sons - Giovanni Domenico and Lorenzo, as well as Mengotstsi-Colonna, masterful writing illyuzionisticheskie architectural compositions. Among these works should be mentioned the frescoes in the Palazzo Arkinto in Milan (1731) and in the church of Santa Maria del Rosario dei Dzhezuati in Venice (1737-1739).

Around 1740 Tiepolo′s style has changed dramatically dark colors disappeared, giving way to a huge variety of colors, light and bright. Good example of the decorative style of Tiepolo′s paintings are his Palazzo Clerici in Milan (1740). For the church of Santa Alvise in Venice, the artist wrote three giant altarpiece: "Castigate Christ", "Crowning with Thorns" and "Christ Carrying the Cross".

Photo — «Giovanni Battista Tiepolo»

Then he performed for one of the Venetian palaces cycle of four large decorative paintings on mythological themes. One of these paintings - the famous "The Triumph of Amphitrite.

"Next to this painting as a particularly easy to breathe - as if it emanates from a fresh breath of the sea, which rushes to its glittering shell-chariot, Amphitrite, surrounded by nereid, tritons and Cupids - writes NI Olshanskaya. - Rhythmically swaying green wave, in the light blue sky, white clouds sweep, light curtains fluttering mane and sea horses, silver sunlight pours generously to the naked body of a goddess in her pearls. The sleek train Amphitrite rush past like a vision, but in the way of the sea with its impetuous wind and damp air, penetrated by the rays of the sun and the smallest water spray, concluded the charm of real life. "

Between 1740-1743 years, the artist creates a huge plafonds compositions for Venetian churches Dzhezuati, degli Scalzi, Scuola del Carmine, and others. Families of Venetian patricians, as well as monasteries and churches vie with each other in an effort to have the works of his brush. In March 1743 the Minister of Saxony, Count Bruhl instructed Algarotti purchase for his picture, along with paintings by famous masters of the last paintings by contemporary artists. In this list one of the first name stood Tiepolo. From ordered his paintings in the same in 1743 were completed "Triumph of Flora" and "Maecenas Presenting the Liberal Arts to Emperor Augustus. " In the following, in 1744 for the same Count Bruhl was completed and sent to Dresden painting "The Feast of Antony and Cleopatra" to the plot which Tiepolo often returned later. It is based on subjects from the history of Antony and Cleopatra, he created an unsurpassed masterpiece of illusion and decorative fresco painting - painting Labiya palazzo in Venice (1745-1750).

Photo — «Giovanni Battista Tiepolo»

Telling the story of Antony and Cleopatra, an artist with a remarkable skill groups the characters on large surfaces. As the NA Belousov: "Entering the spacious ballroom of Palazzo Labiya, the audience loses the sense of real architectural space, because it pushed back the limits of the picturesque scenery that made the walls of a Venetian palazzo in sumptuous theatrical spectacle. Tiepolo′s skilful use of wall space between two doors and two windows above them, thus combining the real architecture of illusion. In the stage of "Feast" stage, which backs to the viewer shows a dwarf, leading to a broad marble terrace with a colonnade of Corinthian style and choirs, under the shadow of that feast, the Egyptian queen and the Roman general. Cleopatra, Anthony trying to prove his contempt for wealth, throws a priceless pearl in a glass of vinegar, where it must be dissolved without a trace. Value of human figures with the prospective construction of the scene transferred flawlessly.

In 1750, at the request of the Prince-Archbishop of Würzburg Tiepolo′s paintings began his residence - the undisputed masterpiece. He performed a vast fresco area of 650 square meters above the staircase in the lobby of the palace.

"At the heart of its complex allegorical story is the glorification of the Archbishop of Franconia and the whole Catholic Church, - write, MV Dobroklonsky and NN Nikulin. - Tiepolo′s like destroying the ceiling and leads the viewer′s eye in the boundless blue, the sun′s rays pierced the sky. Set of figures flitting among the clouds in a light meteoric flight. Leaving the center free space, the artist has most of the actors at the cornice, which shows the four countries of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America.

Photo — «Giovanni Battista Tiepolo»

Here is an allegory of Arts, Sciences, and more. With astonishing ease, the artist combines the most Diverse images and motifs. Here and mythological beings, ancient gods, nymphs, naiads, the inhabitants of exotic countries, as well as a variety of animals, birds, plants, etc. Everything blends into a bright, triumphant spectacle.

In 1753, the lobby ceiling was finished, and Tiepolo and his sons returned to their homeland. Trip to Würzburg brought the artist a huge success, further enhanced its reputation outstanding master of monumental and decorative painting: Venice invitations, orders, honors continuously follow one after the other. In 1756 Tiepolo was elected president shortly before organized the Venice Academy of Painting and Sculpture and at the same time - an honorary member of the Academy of Parma.

To the best decorative creations of genius are his frescoes by Tiepolo in Vicenza at the Villa Valmarana Related to 1757, where the artist worked with students and his son, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727-1804). In the paintings of the villas, where Tiepolo turns to new decorative decisions, his style is of particular delicacy and grandeur.

The last great master′s works in Italy were painted ceilings Triumph of Hercules in the Palazzo Canossa in Verona and the Apotheosis of the Family Pisani "ballroom Villa Pisani at Stra and executed by order of the Russian court ceiling on canvas -" Triumph of Mars "for a large China palace in Oranienbaum. In April 1762 the artist left home. He was invited to Madrid to the court of Charles III for the execution of large frescoes in the royal palace.

By 1764 the artist finished painting the ceiling of a large throne room. In order to achieve the greatest impression of solemnity and grandeur, Tiepolo used an entire arsenal of allegorical and mythological images, borrowing them from their earlier works.

Photo — «Giovanni Battista Tiepolo»

In the same palace, he performed two more much smaller canopy.

One of the latest works by Tiepolo in Madrid were seven altarpiece for the Church of St. Pascal, ordered him in 1767. Writes LN Salmina: "Special" fluidity "paint strokes, iridescent one to another subtle lighting nuances that convey different states of light, a deep perception of nature characteristic of this period. "

The last years of his life were marred by Tiepolo rivalry with the Spanish painter Raphael Mengs: "neoclassicism" pushes thing of the past "baroque".

Tiepolo turned to other genres of painting, creating some magnificent portraits, vivid and expressive: "Portrait of Antonio Riccobono (circa 1745)," Portrait of Giovanni Kverini (circa 1749).

Painting artist are just as good performance of his drawings and etchings. As draftsman and etcher Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is one of the greatest masters of the eighteenth century. Hundreds of his drawings and two series of original etchings - "Capriccio" and "Scherzo di fantasy" - its very own original images, composites solutions and ingenuity, with laconic use of means exceptional luminosity.

Tiepolo never returned to his native Venice. He died in Madrid on March 27, 1770.