Friday, November 30, 2007

Tiepolo Angels

Education of the Virgin by Giambattista Tiepolo
detail of Education of the Virgin (full picture)
the title sounds like an adult movie. Creepy disembodied angel heads. Curly hair that looks like the product of overnight curlers.

Triumph of Zephyr and Flora by Giambattista Tiepolo
detail of Triumph of Zephyr and Flora (full picture)
Wha! Insect wings! Technically not angels but angel-like guys near Flora the Roman goddess of flowers & spring and Zephyr god of the spring winds.

Martyrdom of St John Bishop of Bergamo by Giambattista Tiepolo
detail of Martyrdom of St John Bishop of Bergamo (full picture)
must be a tailored shirt to fit the wings growing out of his armpits. Consider for a second the practical difficulties of putting a shirt on if you have giant wings on your back. (apparently, Saint John of Bergamo died of natural causes but due to a translation error was thought to have been assassinated)

Nobility and Virtue Striking Down Ignorance by Giambattista Tiepolo
Nobility and Virtue Striking Down Ignorance (larger picture)
one pervy angel with his hand up another angel's dress (surely not Virtue's dress!) or as I like to call it "Touched by an Angel" (the entire painting)

Vision of Saint Anne by Giambattista Tiepolo
detail of Vision of Saint Anne (full picture)
creepy disembodied head angels alongside more normal angels. I would think that would mean that there is a specific distinction of some kind between them but I don't know what.
more on her