Artwork
A Bull on a Ledge
A Bull on a Ledge is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
A Bull on a Ledge is a drawing created by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo around 1774. It is executed in pen and brown ink with brown-gray wash over graphite on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a single bull standing on a rocky ledge, its form and texture rendered with careful attention. The animal's relaxed stance and loose tail suggest a moment of pause or contemplation.
Technique & Style
Tiepolo employed ink and wash to create bold, shadowy shapes, emphasizing strong lines over fine details. The use of quick, dark strokes to suggest the bull's fur adds to the drawing's expressive quality, characteristic of Venetian art from the late 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
