1785
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Women and Men Regarding a Burning Pyre of Bones is a 1785 ink by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a Rococo painting work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a chaotic scene with people gathered around a burning pile of bones. The fire crackles in the center, with figures standing or kneeling nearby, some holding tools or objects. Trees and buildings loom in the background, drawn with quick, sketchy lines. The messy lines and dramatic action hint at something symbolic—maybe about death or change. The artist used a technique that lets ink create rough, textured marks. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this made prints with acid and metal plates.
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, also known as Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.
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