Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

Laid down on old sheet of paper. The paper has discoloured to beige due to light exposure. The paper appears to be somewhat brittle and the surface slightly buckled but the condition is stable. The brown ink has somehow sunk into the paper but the image retains a strong impact .
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

As in many of the series of drawings which characterize the work of Domenico Tiepolo, the religious subject becomes an excuse for him to tell many stories with a great variety of themes and characters. His inventive nature manipulated and embellished both reality and religious or biblical stories. He often enriched religious subjects with a light and descriptive touch, as in the present  scene. The Israelites, discontented with life in the desert, spoke out against God and Moses and they were punished with a plague of poisonous snakes which only increased their hardships.