Joseph and Mary Prepare to Leave
1753
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1753
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Joseph and Mary Prepare to Leave is a 1753 ink by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a small group of people standing in a dim, cluttered room. One person, possibly Mary, holds a child while another, likely Joseph, stands beside her with a staff. A donkey is tied nearby, and a winged figure hovers above the doorway, holding a cross. The room looks old, with rough walls and a small window letting in faint light. The artist used sharp lines to show texture—notice the donkey’s fur and the rough wood of the doorway. This is a proof, meaning it’s an early test print before the final version. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Tiepolo create these detailed prints.
