Scherzi di Fantasia
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1931-67-62-b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, masterful Venetian Rococo artist (1692–1770), created *Scherzi di Fant* around 1750–1760, a delightful series of etched figures that capture his boundless imagination. During this late phase of his career, Tolo was at the height of his fame, having adorned palaces and churches across Europe with luminous frescoes. These "Fantasies" or "Caprices" showcase his shift to printmaking, producing whimsical, ethereal figures—often mythical creatures, acrobats, and playful hybrids—that embody the Rococo spirit of lightness, ornamentation, and fantasy. Tiepolo's technique in ...