Detail of the Departure of the Gondola by Tiepolo in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 2020

Title: The Departure of the Gondola

Artist: Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (Italian, Venice 1727–1804 Venice)

Date: mid-1760s

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 14 1/8 × 28 3/4 in. (35.9 × 73 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019

Accession Number: 2019.141.20


Possibly painted in Spain, where the artist traveled with his father, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, to fresco ceilings in the Palacio Real, Madrid in 1762, this painting vividly evokes life in their native Venice. The white masks (morette) and short black veils (baute) were worn by elegant residents and visitors during the carnival season. Small cabins (felzi) were installed on gondolas in winter. The silvery tonality and delicate paint handling make this an exceptional work by the artist.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438130