SOFA Summer Catalogue 2017 V3.qxp 06/06/2017 10:35 Page 4
INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ‘All spirit and fire’ (‘tutto spirito e foco’) is how the paintings of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo were described, in 1732, by his earliest biographer, Vincenzo da Canal. The same phrase can equally be used to define the artist’s drawings, which, like those of his son Giovanni Domenico, have long been admired and sought after by collectors and connoisseurs. Several hundred drawings by both artists are today in museum and private collections throughout Europe and America, and many of these may be counted among the highlights of 18th century Venetian draughtsmanship. As James Byam Shaw, one of the finest modern scholars of Venetian drawings in general, and those of the Tiepolo in particular, so aptly wrote of one of Giambattista’s pen drawings, ‘who can describe the beauty and the skill of the execution of such a drawing? The writer seeks words to convey, in the language of poetry or music, the impact of the pen or the brush on the paper; and in the end must content himself with silent admiration of so magical a performance.’1 I am delighted to be able to present this selection of drawings by Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo, several of which are published here for the first time. I am, as ever, enormously grateful to my wife Laura for her advice and constant support, as well as her careful reading of the entries for this catalogue. I also wish to acknowledge my assistant Megan Corcoran for her invaluable assistance in all aspects of preparing this catalogue. I would also like to thank the following people for their help and advice in the preparation of this catalogue and the drawings included in it: Jean-Luc Baroni, Gabriel Batalla, Deborah Bates, Jonathan Bober, Woody Brock, Julian Brooks, Toby Campbell, Glynn Clarkson, Cheryl and Gino Franchi, Julie Frouge, Heidi Gealt, Stephen Geiger, Susan Grinols, Heather Anne Hales, Dean Hearn, Damiano Lapiccirella, David Leventhal, Sarah Lowther, Pascal Martel, Suz Massen, Ellida Minelli, Kevin Montague, Grace Murakami, Monica Arellano Ongpin, Guy Peppiatt, Sarah Perdue, Sarah Ricks, Todd-White Photography, David Tunick, Sarah Vowles, Joanna Watson, Catherine Whistler and Jenny Willings. Stephen Ongpin
Dimensions are given in millimetres and inches, with height before width. Unless otherwise noted, paper is white or whitish. Please note that drawings are sold mounted but not framed. High-resolution digital images of the drawings are available on request. All enquiries should be addressed to Stephen Ongpin or Megan Corcoran at Stephen Ongpin Fine Art Ltd. 6 Mason’s Yard Duke Street St James’s London SW1Y 6BU Tel. [+44] (20) 7930-8813 or [+44] (7710) 328-627 Fax [+44] (20) 7839-1504 e-mail: info@stephenongpinfineart.com website: www.stephenongpin.com