Who painted The Departure of the Gondola?

The Departure of the Gondola was painted by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo in 1765-01-01.

Where can I see The Departure of the Gondola?

The Departure of the Gondola is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is The Departure of the Gondola?

The Departure of the Gondola is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

The Departure of the Gondola

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo , 1765

The Departure of the Gondola is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition features a man and a woman associated with the boat, establishing a narrative of departure or travel within a Venetian setting.

Executed in 1765, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo's oil painting illustrates a scene centered on a gondola navigating a canal. The composition features a man and a woman associated with the boat, establishing a narrative of departure or travel within a Venetian setting. A defining element of the work's iconography is the inclusion of a mask, which alludes to the carnival traditions and social customs of eighteenth-century Venice.

By combining these figures with the specific maritime environment, the artwork represents a moment of transit infused with the city's characteristic atmosphere of festivity and disguise. The interplay between the passengers and the masked figure suggests themes of identity and performance typical of the period's genre scenes.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1765, The Departure of the Gondola is an oil painting on canvas by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. The work employs oil paint as its primary medium, applied to a fabric support. Stylistically, the composition depicts a canal scene featuring a boat, figures including a man and a woman, and a mask, reflecting the artist's engagement with Venetian social life and carnival motifs.

The handling of the medium allows for the rendering of these narrative elements within a classified painting format, characteristic of Tiepolo's output during this period.

History & Provenance

The Departure of the Gondola is an oil painting on canvas created by the Italian artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo in 1765. The work depicts a canal scene featuring a gondola, masks, and figures, reflecting Tiepolo's engagement with Venetian life during the mid-eighteenth century. While the specific commission details and the initial ownership chain are not explicitly documented in the available records, the painting has been firmly dated to 1765.

It is currently part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is identified as a significant example of Tiepolo's work from that period. The attribution to Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727–1804) is consistent across sources, establishing the artist's role in its creation.

Overview

Painted by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo in 1765, The Departure of the Gondola is an oil painting characteristic of the Rococo era. The work captures a lively scene along a Venetian canal, where figures gather on a dock as a gondola awaits. This piece is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcasing the artist's distinctive approach to genre scenes.

The Pretty Woman and the Masked Men (The Road of Andalusia), Francisco de Goya

Artist & collection

Artist

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (August 30, 1727 – March 3, 1804) was an Italian painter and printmaker in etching. He was the son of artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and elder brother of Lorenzo Baldissera Tiepolo.