Who painted A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man?

A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man was painted by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta in 1740.

Where can I see A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man?

A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man?

A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta , 1740

A Young Woman Buying a Pink from a Young Man is a drawing by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

This painting shows a young woman handing coins to a boy while a second girl watches.

This painting shows a young woman handing coins to a boy while a second girl watches. He offers her a pink, a flower like a small carnation. The scene feels quiet but alive, caught in a single moment.

Piazzetta often mixed separate drawings into one scene like this. It’s not just a portrait—it’s a little story about everyday life in Venice.

Want to see more like this? Look up *Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (Italian, 1682–1754)*.

Overview

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta’s drawing depicts a brief exchange in a Venetian setting: a young woman hands coins to a boy who offers her a pink flower, while another girl watches. The composition combines three separate figure studies into a single narrative moment, illustrating everyday interaction rather than a formal portrait.

Subject & Meaning

The work belongs to the ‘teste di carattere’ genre, where portraiture is enriched with objects that hint at character or social role. The pink, a small carnation‑type blossom, suggests a modest gift or purchase, inviting viewers to contemplate the subtleties of courtship, commerce, or simple kindness in 18th‑century Venice.

Technique & Style

Piazzetta achieved a rich tonal range by wetting and smudging black crayon instead of traditional hatching, creating velvety shadows and dense modeling. White chalk adds texture, delineating the boy’s silk‑like shirt and the glossy surface of fingernails. Executed on blue Venetian paper that has since faded to a tan, the drawing retains a high level of finish comparable to painted works.

History & Provenance

The drawing, measuring roughly the size of a small panel, was intended for wall display rather than private sketchbooks, a practice that exposed the paper to light and caused its discoloration. Piazzetta’s finished drawings were popular with affluent foreign visitors, providing an additional source of income alongside his paintings. The sheet now resides in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection.

Context

In the early 1700s Venice, artists often assembled multiple figure studies into narrative scenes, reflecting a market demand for genre images that captured quotidian life. Piazzetta’s approach aligns with this trend, offering a glimpse into the social interactions of the city’s youth while showcasing his skill in rendering texture and atmosphere.

Artist & collection

Artist

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (also called Giambattista Piazzetta or Giambattista Valentino Piazzetta) (February 13, 1682 or 1683 – April 28, 1754) was an Italian Rococo painter of religious subjects and genre scenes.