Allegory of Virtue and Nobility 1740 - 1750

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this oil painting entitled, “Allegory of Virtue and Nobility.” The arrangement of figures within the clouds gives a sense of upward movement and lightness. Tiepolo uses a combination of bright, warm colors like reds and yellows in Virtue's drapery, contrasted with the cooler tones in Nobility’s robes. The texture appears fluid, with visible brushstrokes suggesting the ethereal quality of the scene. The upward orientation of the figures combined with the lightness of color can be interpreted as an assertion of power through symbolic representation. The figures ascending into the sky suggests a transcendence of earthly concerns and a move into an idealised space of virtue and nobility. Tiepolo’s work, while appearing decorative, subtly encodes messages about power, status and the aspiration towards idealized forms of virtue. The dynamic upward thrust invites continued interpretation of its symbolic language.