Magician and a Serpent - Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Archival giclée
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Description
A fine etching from the Scherzi di Fantasia series by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, featuring a mysterious magician and a serpent.
This etching, titled Magician and a Serpent, belongs to the series known as the Scherzi di Fantasia, produced by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo during the mid-eighteenth century. The work displays the artist's characteristic approach to printmaking, where he prioritised fluid, spontaneous lines over the rigid hatching techniques common in the period. The composition features a central figure, a bearded magician, who stands with an air of authority amidst a group of observers. A serpent rests on the ground before him, while a large, weathered stone monument looms in the background.
Tiepolo, primarily known for his large-scale frescoes in Venice and across Europe, utilised etching as a medium for personal exploration. The Scherzi series is noted for its enigmatic subject matter, often incorporating classical, oriental, and occult motifs that defy straightforward narrative interpretation. The figures are rendered with a light, airy touch, reflecting the decorative sensibilities of the Rococo style. The artist employs a sparse use of shadow, allowing the white of the paper to define the forms and create a sense of atmosphere.
This print demonstrates the technical skill of Tiepolo, who treated the copper plate with the same freedom as a drawing. The lines are delicate, varying in weight to suggest texture and form without overwhelming the composition with excessive detail. The scene remains open to interpretation, inviting the viewer to consider the relationship between the figures and the mysterious objects surrounding them. As a fine art print, this piece offers a glimpse into the imaginative world of one of the most prolific artists of the Venetian Settecento, capturing a moment of quiet, arcane activity through precise, economical mark-making.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Magician and a Serpent - Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Artist Biography
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
He was born in Venice in 1696, the youngest of six children. His father died about a year later, leaving his mother to raise the family in difficult circumstances. At fourteen he was apprenticed to Gregorio Lazzarini, a painter of eclectic style. His early work was dark and heavy, but after his marriage to Maria Cecilia Guardi in 1719, his palette brightened and his touch became lighter and more fluid. The transformation was radical: the sombre young painter became the most luminous colourist of the eighteenth century.
His ceiling fresco at the Wurzburg Residence (1750 to 1753), painted for the Prince-Bishop, is the largest fresco in the world and the supreme achievement of Baroque illusionistic decoration. He travelled there with his sons Domenico and Lorenzo, who served as assistants throughout his career. Tiepolo and his wife had nine children in total; four daughters and three sons survived to adulthood.
In 1755 he was elected Director of the Accademia in Venice. In 1762 he moved with his sons to Madrid at the invitation of Charles III of Spain to decorate the Royal Palace. The Spanish court favoured the cooler Neoclassicism of Anton Raphael Mengs, and Tiepolo found himself outmanoeuvred. He died in Madrid in 1770, at seventy-four, his Rococo exuberance already passing out of fashion.
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