Beheading of John the Baptist

Lorenzo Tiepolo grew up in the shadow of his brother, Domenico, but developed his own niche in fashionable chalk and pastel portraits of wealthy 18th-century patrons. As part of the Tiepolo workshop, he traveled with his father to Würzburg and Spain, and, like his brother, learned basic draftsmanship by copying the designs of his father into drawings and prints. Lorenzo's drawing, typical of the Tiepolo style, may also be appreciated for its Venetian elements. The Palladian arches and stone rail, the bright, soft light, and Salome's sophisticated coiffure, bare neck, and high-collared dress, give the biblical scene an air of 18th-century Venice.