Seated Man, Woman with Jar, and Boy

Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Italian, 1696 - 1770)

Original Dimensions: 63 1/8" x 21 1/8"

Location: National Gallery of Art, London

About Artwork: (About 1740-6) "Within a walled garden, a man wearing a striking blue costume and ornate necklace catches the gaze of a woman holding a jar. A young boy stands just behind her, carrying a spear. Beyond the wall we glimpse treetops and birds flying across a bright sky. This picture is part of a series of four paintings that once decorated a room in the Palazzo Cornaro on the Campo San Polo, Venice. The pictures are based on Torquato Tasso’s epic poem Jerusalem Delivered which is set during the First Crusade, a Christian military campaign to recapture Jerusalem from Islamic rule. The poem tells of the ill-fated love between the Saracen sorceress Armida and Rinaldo, a Christian knight. The woman in this scene may represent Armida who, left heartbroken by Rinaldo’s sudden departure, decides to join the fight against the Crusaders. The exotically dressed man sitting at her feet is probably Adrastus, an Indian prince who vows to tear out Rinaldo’s heart to satisfy Armida’s desire for revenge. The figures’ twisted poses create a sense of movement within the picture, and Tiepolo’s lively brushstrokes add vibrancy to the wonderful fabrics and patterns on display." - (National Gallery of Art, London)