De Waarheid en de Tijd 1706 - 1770

Curator: Well, this seems almost lifted from a dream... Tiepolo’s “De Waarheid en de Tijd” from sometime in the 18th century—using ink and watercolor—really captures that fleeting, ephemeral quality, don’t you think? Editor: Fleeting is right. My first impression is its almost aggressively provisional. I mean, look at the linework – scribbled, layered. I wonder, was he short on high-quality paper, or consciously pushing against preciousness, challenging the notion of artistic skill equals polished perfection? Curator: Or perhaps, capturing the very moment truth is revealed – messy, chaotic, requiring layers of exploration before clarity. I’m struck by the figures – Time, weathered and imposing, pulling back the veil from Truth, so youthful and radiant. It feels like an initiation. Editor: Absolutely an unveiling, but let's look at those hands—both reaching, almost grasping, but rendered so differently. Time's hand is clenched, forceful, while Truth’s is open, receptive. I'm also wondering where this drawing sits in Tiepolo's overall output. Was it a study for something grander, perhaps a ceiling fresco, or something complete in itself? How was he circulating this material, was he creating it on commission or speculating? Curator: Good point. Considering his output, and the timeframe it could well have been practice piece; like many artists in this period the route to greatness and making money came through commissions for ceilings and large canvasses. Still there is something to be said about capturing that private creative moment. There's vulnerability in leaving the workings of its construction exposed like that; I love to be reminded that nothing is truly instantaneous or exists in perfect condition from inception. Editor: Exposing the "workings," exactly. And beyond the figures, even the sun feels less like a celestial body and more like a doodle, a necessary but understated component. Curator: It really forces you to slow down, to follow the artist's thought process. It's that unpretentious element I respond to, that even when tackling grand allegorical themes, the act of creation remains palpably human, isn't afraid to wear its material processes on its sleeve, which ultimately can be a very rewarding truth, if that doesn't sound to corny? Editor: No, not at all. It invites us to engage with the materiality of time and how labour goes into capturing a glimpse of a value so elusive as truth. A pretty smart piece, after all.