Armida Encounters the Sleeping Rinaldo

About this artwork

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's *Armida Encounters the Sleepinginaldo* (1742/45) captures a pivotal moment from Torquatoasso's epic poem *Jerusalem Delivered*. The sorceress Armida, sent to distract the Crusader knights, discovers the enchanted knight Rinaldo asleep amid a lush, dreamlike garden. Mesmerized by his beauty, she contemplates her forbidden love, a theme blending romance, magic, and moral tension that captivated 18th-century audiences. ed in oil on canvas at a grand 187.5 × 216.8 cm, this work exemplifies Tiepolo's mastery of Venetian Rococo. From his mature period in Venice, it showcases his signature swirling compositions, vibrant colors, and dramatic chiaroscuro lighting, creating an illusion of movement and ethereal depth. Tiepolo's loose, fluid brushwork evokes fresco-like grandeur, ideal for palatial interiors where such mythological scenes adorned walls of the nobility. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Department of Painting and Sculpture of Europe, this canvas highlights Tiepolo's influence across Europe, bridging Baroque drama with Rococo elegance. It invites viewers to ponder love's transformative power, a timeless motif rendered with Tiepolo's joyful exuberance.