Flight into Egypt: Dedication with Winged Figure of Fame - Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

An 18th-century etching by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, featuring an allegorical figure of Fame supporting the coat of arms of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

This etching by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo serves as the dedication plate for his series, 'Idee Pittoresche sopra la Fugga in Egitto di Giesu Maria e Giuseppe'. Published in 1753, the work demonstrates the technical facility of the Venetian artist, who was the son of the celebrated Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The composition features a winged figure of Fame, who holds a trumpet and supports the elaborate coat of arms belonging to the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, Karl Philipp von Greiffenclau.

The heraldic display is surmounted by a crown and a cross, creating a sense of ecclesiastical authority. Below this allegorical scene, a view of a fortified structure, likely representing the Würzburg Residenz, provides a grounding element to the otherwise ethereal arrangement. The etching displays the characteristic lightness of the Rococo period, with fluid, calligraphic lines defining the drapery of the figures and the clouds.

Tiepolo utilised a delicate hatching technique to create volume and shadow, allowing the white of the paper to function as a source of light. The inclusion of putti, who assist in supporting the heavy heraldic shield, adds a playful, human element to the formal dedication. This print is a fine example of eighteenth-century Italian printmaking, where the boundaries between religious narrative and secular glorification often merged. The work remains a primary document of the artist's early career and his connection to the German court, where he and his father were commissioned to decorate the Residenz. The clarity of the line work and the balance of the composition reflect the training Tiepolo received in his father's studio, while also showing his own developing interest in narrative detail and decorative elegance.