Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Hubert de Marignane (bears his collector's mark recto and verso, not in Lugt);
with Herman Shickman Gallery, New York

Monte Carlo, Palais des Congrès, Dessins Italiens du XV^e au XVIII^e s. de la Collection H. de Marignane, 1966, no. 100

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall in good condition. Chalk remains fresh and vibrant, recto and verso. There are some light brown stains, more visible lower right. There are a number of tiny nicks along the outer edges of the sheet, mostly at the right hand side and upper margin. There are a few small creases in the sheet.
"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 charming double-sided drawing is an early work by the young Giambattista, still showing the strong influence of Giovanni Battista Piazzetta.  It has the immediacy and vitality of studies done from life, and probably came from an album of sketches which would have been used as either a reference for Giambattista Tiepolo and his pupils in the studio or for figures in his paintings.  Whilst it is possible to place some sheets, due to numbering, inscriptions and dimensions, to a specific sketchbook, not all can be accounted for. This drawing does, however, share similarities with sketches in the Accademia di Carrara, where both sides of the sheet have works in black chalk and white gouache, and some have old attributions to Piazzetta.

Stylistically this reveals a young Giambattista experimenting with poses and profile studies.  The recto shows two male head studies, the foreground male resting his hand on his cheek, with another head study behind, showing slightly more than a profile view and the verso has another youth resting his hand on his cheek.  The technique employed here can be compared with two other head studies exhibited in 1962.¹

1. Le Dessin Italien dans les collections Hollandaises, exhib. cat., Paris, Rotterdam, Haarlem, 1962, nos. 180 and 181