Who painted Angelica and Medoro?

Angelica and Medoro was painted by Giovanni Battista Cipriani in 1756.

Where can I see Angelica and Medoro?

Angelica and Medoro is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Angelica and Medoro?

Angelica and Medoro is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Angelica and Medoro?

Museum-quality prints of Angelica and Medoro are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Angelica and Medoro

Giovanni Battista Cipriani , 1756

Angelica and Medoro is an ink drawing by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Cipriani. It dates from 1756 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Angelica and Medoro is a drawing created by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Cipriani in 1756, shortly after his relocation to England. Executed in pen, black ink, brown and gray wash, and graphite on laid paper, the work is a literary illustration.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing illustrates a pivotal moment from Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso, where the knight Medoro engraves his and Angelica’s names into a tree, symbolizing their love and union within the narrative’s context.

Technique & Style

Cipriani’s technique combines precise pen and ink lines with nuanced brown and gray washes over graphite underdrawings, characteristic of his draftsmanship. A secondary design on the verso features four concentric circles encircling a laurel wreath, drawn in pen, ink, and graphite.

History & Provenance

Created in 1756, the drawing may have been intended as a design for a print, consistent with Cipriani’s practice of producing works later engraved by collaborators like Francesco Bartolozzi.

Context

Part of a broader 18th-century trend of illustrating classical and literary themes, Angelica and Medoro reflects Cipriani’s adaptation to English tastes while maintaining his Italian artistic roots.

Legacy

As with many of Cipriani’s designs, its legacy may extend through printed reproductions, though the direct impact of this specific drawing on later art or publications is not detailed in available information.