The Discovery of the Tomb of Punchinello, from the Scherzi

Art Historical Context

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s etching *The Discovery of the Tomb of Punchinello* belongs to his celebrated *Scherzi di Fantasia* series, created around 1743–50. A leading figure of the Venetian Rococo, Tiepolo used the etching medium’s fine lines and delicate tonal contrasts to conjure dreamlike scenes that blend whimsy with subtle unease. The print depicts figures gathered around the burial site of Punchinello—the hunchbacked clown of commedia dell’arte—while serpents coil nearby, suggesting themes of mortality, transformation, and theatrical illusion. In the *Scherzi*, Tiepolo explored fantastical subjects with a light yet incisive touch, moving beyond his grand fresco commissions to create intimate works on paper. These etchings reflect the eighteenth-century fascination with the macabre and the satirical, drawing on popular theater traditions while appealing to sophisticated collectors. The modest scale of the plate invites close looking, rewarding viewers with intricate details that reveal Tiepolo’s mastery of both humor and mystery. Today the print remains a highlight of the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of eighteenth-century graphic art, offering a window into the playful yet profound imagination of one of Europe’s most influential artists.

About the Artist

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo · 1696–1770

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) stands as the greatest decorative painter of eighteenth-century Europe, a Venetian master whose luminous frescoes and dynamic compositions defined the Rococo era's aesthetic zenith. Born in Venice on March 5, 1696, to a modest shipping merchant family, Tiepolo's extraordinary talent transcended his humble origins to establish him as the most sought-after artis...