Artwork
The Holy Family Arriving at a City Gate
The Holy Family Arriving at a City Gate is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1753 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, an Italian printmaker active in the mid‑18th century, produced the etching *The Holy Family Arriving at a City Gate* in 1753. Executed in black and white, the work portrays a bustling entry scene at a fortified gate, populated by travelers and onlookers.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a biblical procession, traditionally identified as the Holy Family, moving toward a city entrance. Figures include a woman cradling a child, a staff‑bearing man, and several attendants bearing bundles, suggesting a journey or arrival narrative within a religious context.
Technique & Style
Tiepolo employed the etching process, incising fine lines into a metal plate to render textures such as cloth folds, wooden gatework, and foliage. The delicate linear quality creates depth and detail, characteristic of his printmaking approach.
History & Provenance
Born into the prominent Tiepolo family—son of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and brother of Lorenzo Baldissera—Giovanni Domenico worked primarily in religious subjects. The 1753 etching reflects his early independent output, though specific ownership records for the print are not documented in the source material.
Context
The work belongs to a period when Italian artists frequently used print media to disseminate devotional imagery. Etchings like this allowed broader circulation of religious scenes beyond the reach of large‑scale paintings, aligning with contemporary devotional practices.
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.
