Ruggero salva Angelica
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo·c. 1733
Historical Context
The rescue of Angelica by Ruggero on his flying hippogriff, from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, was a favorite subject of Venetian painters and one that perfectly suited Tiepolo's flair for aerial, gravity-defying compositions. Painted around 1733, this work belongs to Tiepolo's engagement with the great Italian literary epics that provided rich material for decorative painting. Ariosto's poem had been a source for Venetian painters since the sixteenth century, and Tiepolo claimed that tradition as his own.
Technical Analysis
The swooping diagonal of the hippogriff creates powerful movement across the canvas, with Angelica chained to the rock providing the static counterpoint. Brilliant, light-filled color and dynamic foreshortening demonstrate Tiepolo's gift for making the fantastic seem visually convincing.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the swooping diagonal of the flying hippogriff carrying Ruggero to rescue the chained Angelica — from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, perfectly suited to Tiepolo's aerial compositions.
- ◆Look at the brilliant, light-filled color and dynamic foreshortening making the fantastic seem visually convincing.
- ◆Observe this c. 1733 painting demonstrating Tiepolo's gift for gravity-defying compositions drawn from the great Italian romantic epics.
