Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 6-7 July 1920, lot 41 (purchased by Colnaghi for £610);

With P. & D. Colnaghi, London (purchased by Richard Owen for £800);

Richard Owen, Paris;

With P. & D. Colnaghi, London;

H.S. Reitlinger;

His sale, London, Sotheby's, 9 December 1953, lot 105;

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 2 July 1996, lot 166;

Private collection, New York;

By whom anonymously offered, New York, Christie's, 30 January 2018, lot 50.

Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Dessins de G. D. Tiepolo, 1921;

London, Royal Academy of Arts, Diploma Gallery, Drawings by Old Masters, 1953, no. 178;

London, The British Museum, Domenico Tiepolo. The Punchinello Drawings, 1986, no. 81, reproduced (catalogue by A. Gealt);

Udine, Castello di Udine, and Bloomington, Indiana University Art Museum, Giandomenico Tiepolo. Maestria e gioco. Disegni dal mondo, 1996-1997, no. 160, reproduced (catalogue by A.M. Gealt and G. Knox).

J. Byam Shaw, The Drawings of Domenico Tiepolo, London 1962, no. 84, reproduced;

A.M. Gealt and M.E. Vetrocq, Domenico Tiepolo's Punchinello Drawings, exhib. cat. Bloomington, Indiana University Art Museum, 1979, p. 3, reproduced;

A. Gealt, Domenico Tiepolo. The Punchinello Drawings, New York 1986, no. 81, reproduced.

Much like the preceding lot this fine and highly characteristic sheet belongs to Giandomenico Tiepolo's fabled series of drawings depicting scenes from the Life of Punchinello.

In stark contrast to Punchinello is Viewed by Mourners, the present work illustrates a scene of new life as the infant Punchinello is nursed in the warmth and comfort of a grand bedchamber. In the background of the composition maids can be seen making the bed, whilst closer to the main protagonist a number of adult Punchinellos carefully and with a certain curiosity, observe the infant, whilst mulling over this scene of perceived domestic bliss.

For further information on the celebrated series of drawings to which this work belongs please see the catalogue entry for lot 39.