Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Venice 1696 - 1770 Madrid

From the album Tomo terzo di caricature, which probably originated from the collection of Lauro Bernadino Coriani de'Conti d'Algarotti;
probably Breadalbane family, Langton House, Berwickshire,
sale, Edinburgh, Dowell's, 25 March 1925, lot 1004 (bought by John Grant, bookseller of Edinburgh);
bought from Grant in 1926 by Arthur Kay,
his sale, London, Christie's, 9 April 1943, part of lot 243;
with F.A. Drey in 1944;
Sir John Wyndham Pope-Henessy (his book-plate on back of frame),
his sale, New York, Christie's, 10 January 1996, lot 25

Generally good condition and fresh. The mount goes over quite a bit of the drawing. Tiny piece of the top left corner missing and some pieces of brown paper still attached on the verso top corners from previous hinges. Wash and ink still fresh. Sold mounted and in a modern gilded frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This drawing originates from an album of 107 caricatures by Tiepolo, bearing the title Tomo terzo di caricature, which was dispersed at the sale of the Arthur Kay collection in 1943 (see Provenance).  In that sale catalogue, the album's contents were described in considerable detail, and on the basis of this description, George Knox suggested the album could be one of the eight mentioned in an Algarotti inventory of 1840, two of which were subsequently listed in an 1854 sale catalogue as containing una copiosa collezione di disegni umoristici del Tiepolo.¹  

George Knox has dated this album to the period 1754-62.  Although the majority of the caricatures that it contains are by Giambattista, there are also one or two signed by Giandomenico.  The album seems to have remained in the possession of Giandomenico for the greater part of his life and, as noted by Byam Shaw, he used figures from it in many of his later drawings.²  

1. See G. Knox, Tiepolo, a bicentenary exhibition, exhibition catalogue, Cambridge Mass., Fogg Art Museum, 1970, no. 87.

2. See J. Byam Shaw, The Drawings of Domenico Tiepolo, London 1962, p. 49.