Male figure carrying a tray with fowl, seen from below c. 1740 - 1750

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo made this drawing of a male figure carrying a tray with fowl sometime in the 18th century, using pen and brown ink wash over graphite. The drawing's power lies in its deceptive simplicity. With quick, confident strokes, Tiepolo captures the weight and strain of the figure's labor. Note the dynamic use of the brown ink wash, layered to create depth and shadow, particularly in the figure's straining muscles. The use of brown ink creates a sense of warmth and immediacy, as if the artist were sketching directly from life. But this isn't just an exercise in artistic skill. The drawing offers a glimpse into the social hierarchy of 18th-century Venice, where the labor of ordinary people sustained the lavish lifestyles of the elite. While Tiepolo was celebrated for his grand paintings, this humble drawing reminds us of the human effort behind the era's spectacle. It challenges us to consider who, precisely, was doing all of the carrying.