Standing Philosopher and Two Other Figures, from Vari Capricci (Various Caprices)

Though Tiepolo is primarily known for his vast murals and ceiling paintings, he also made intimate, lyrical drawings and etchings. The title of the series to which these prints belong is literally translated as Various Caprices, but it could equally be called Flights of Fancy. The images are intentionally open-ended. Tiepolo provides us with actors, props, and stage sets, but there is no script. We are free to exercise our imaginations and our emotions to create stories and perhaps meanings of our own. The restrained gestures of most of the figures minimize narrative suggestion and heighten psychological tension. Tiepolo's loose, open treatment of forms and lines emphasizes that these are fantasies, barely material at all.