Who painted A Spring Shower?

A Spring Shower was painted by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo in 1800.

Where can I see A Spring Shower?

A Spring Shower is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is A Spring Shower?

A Spring Shower is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

A Spring Shower

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo , 1800

A Spring Shower is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

A Spring Shower is a drawing by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, part of his Divertimento per li Regazzi series, which showcases daily life and social commentary in 18th-century Venice through the recurring character of Punchinello.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts seven figures, all from the back, navigating a spring shower. While the subject appears lighthearted, with Punchinellos (clowns from Italian theater) in white costumes and black hats, the pensive atmosphere suggests a deeper contemplative quality.

Technique & Style

Tiepolo employed tremulous lines and broad, simple brown ink washes over a black chalk sketch, achieving a fresh, misty effect that enhances the scene's pensiveness. This drawing, like others in the series, was created as a finished work in its own right.

History & Provenance

One of nine sheets from Divertimento per li Regazzi held at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), A Spring Shower is part of a larger narrative series of 104 drawings that explore Venetian social mores through genre scenes.

Context

Created in late 18th-century Venice, the work reflects the city's cultural landscape, incorporating elements of popular theater (Punchinello) to comment on daily life and social norms.

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.