Tiepolo 18th Century Drawing Venetian Master

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. (b. 1696-1770). Italian. God Banishing Cain (Cain and Abel). Pen, pencil, ink, and wash (bistre). 4 5/8 x 5 5/8 in. Watermark: 18th Century Italian; Trefoil over lozenge with bend. Ex-collection Wilhelm von Koenig. Possibly a study for a painting. Abel lies behind Cain on the ground next to the club his brother used to slay him. God appears in a cloud flanked by two Putti, gesturing with his left hand to Cain, punishing him for killing his brother out of jealousy by sending him into exile. Cain shields his eyes from a burst of light emanating from the lower left of the image. Tiepolo's composition invokes earlier and later references in Chapter four of The Book Of Genesis. This energetic drawing reflects Tiepolo's talent for composing images of "all spirit and fire" utilizing a few deft pen strokes and the application of washes of varying hues. Provenance: Bears the stamp of Wilhelm von Koenig (Lugt 2653b), noted early 20th century collector, Vienna, whom Lugt reports as having acquired a large portion of the Ludwig Zatzka collection.

Minor crease.