Allegory of the Power of Eloquence

Copyright

Work in the public domain
Image: Courtauld
by-nc

Maker


1696-1770

Title

Allegory of the Power of Eloquence

Date of Production

(circa) 1725

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

Height: 49.2 cm (canvas)
Width: 70.8 cm (canvas)

Object Number

P.1978.PG.445

Mode of Acquisition

Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978

Credit

Courtauld Gallery, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Location

Not currently on display
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Keywords

  • Power (Social sciences)

Label Text

This oil sketch is Tiepolo’s earliest known composition for a ceiling decoration for Palazzo Sandi in Venice. The gods Minerva and Mercury (centre) preside over scenes of eloquence. Amphion builds Thebes with music (below), Orpheus rescues Eurydice from Hell (left), Hercules binds his listeners with chains (above), and Bellepheron attacks the Chimera (right). Tiepolo drew on the ideas of the Italian theorist Vico about history and law. Appropriately, his patron was a lawyer.

Provenance

Private coll., Madrid. Private coll., Zurich. Acquired by Seilern through Hugelshofer, Zurich, 1959; Princes Gate Bequest 1978.

Exhibition History

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1696-1770, Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, 11/10/2019-02/02/2020
Giambattista Tiepolo 1696-1770, Villa Manin, Passariano, Italy, 14/12/2012-07/04/2013
Sebastiano Ricci, Palazzo Cini & Venice & Italy, 24/04/2010-19/07/2010
...More
Scenes and Stages - Creating Architectural Illusion, Courtauld Gallery, London, 26/06/2008-27/07/2008
All Spirit and Fire - Oil Sketches by Tiepolo, Courtauld Gallery, London, 23/02/2006-29/05/2006
For your approval - Oil Sketches by Tiepolo, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California, 03/05/2005-04/09/2005
National Gallery (to be displayed with permanent collection), National Gallery, London, 01/09/1997-01/06/1998
...Less

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