REVISED DATE………..SUNDAY APRIL 16, 2023

Attrib. GIOVANNI GIAMBATTISTA TIEPOLO (Venice, Italy 1696-1770) “VIRTUE, NOBILITY, IGNORANCE & FAME (Putting Ignorance to Flight).

Gallery address: 19 Jackson Street, Middleboro, Massachusetts USA

The painting is unframed but we do have an exact stretcher as well as a custom made roller/crate for shipping. Please call (508) 269-9275 to arrange phone bidding. The painting is available to view anytime if you are able.

MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

Please scroll down this page to view an important video from reknowned Tiepolo expert Pr. George Knox.

 

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, one of nine children, father of six, Venetian born (1696-1770) (also known as Giambattista or Gianbattista Tiepolo) is considered the greatest painter of 18th century Europe and the master of Venetian Rococo. His greatest works are the frescoed ceilings he created for churches, villas and palaces in Italy, Germany and Spain.

Venice had not seen such a grand painter since the death of Paolo (Veronese) Caliari a century before. Tiepolo brought Venice back into the artistic spotlight in the 18th century.  Though he painted many works for villas in his native Italy he soon came into great demand throughout Venice and other European countries as wealthy aristocratic elite commissioned Tiepolo to decorate the walls and ceilings of their castles and palaces with enormous frescoes. 

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo produced masterpieces for kings of France, Spain and England and the czar of Russia. He was a master of perspective with airborne allegorical figures in lighter hues of open skies, opening up the space into cloud-filled Heavens of light, angels, and pale, rosy colors. His use of dramatic poses, color schemes, costumes and ordered composition keep his paintings lively and engaging. Tiepolo’s style can be referred to as sprezzatura, "a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it" a “studied carelessness”.

“Virtue, Nobility, Ignorance & Fame” (Putting Ignorance to Flight) was commissioned to Giambattista Tiepolo by Count Carlo Caiselli, ca 1742/1743 for the palazzo Caiselli, Cortello di Pavia di Pavia di Udine province of Venice), Italy.  It could have been on the occasion of one of his son’s, Bernardino, wedding or the occasion of his other son Francesco’s appointment and noble councilor.

This commission was at the height of Tiepolo’s career as a Venetian master and as well as the height of the Caiselli’s success as an important and prosperous family in Udine. The palace, built a century earlier was the home of a significant collection of master paintings. Their residence still stands, including the room in which this ceiling painting hung. The building is now the property of the University of Udine. 

The painting portrays two female allegorical figures representing Virtue and Nobility. Virtue is the young woman with wings grasping a spear. Nobility holds in her hand a statuette of Minerva. Their eyes meet against the backdrop of the sky and their garments seem to flutter in the wind. The figure of Fame blows her trumpet.

Below is the figure of Perfidy, Ignorance being vanquished, covers her face with her hands. The bats symbolize ignorance, which refuses to see the light of wisdom and knowledge. The figures are accompanied by three putti, one looks down from above, another seems to be swooping down through the air, while the third is plunging into a cloud. 

This was a popular image with the aristocracy of “Serenissima” (the serenity of Venice). The painting measures 4.79 meters x 2.51 meters (15.71 feet x 8.23 feet) and is currently unframed.

Artist Background and Ceiling Fresco History

Introduction

The Introduction “VIRTUE, NOBILITY, IGNORANCE & FAME

(Putting Ignorance to Flight)"

Historical Background 1 & 2

The Introduction “VIRTUE, NOBILITY, IGNORANCE & FAME

(Putting Ignorance to Flight)"