Scene of Peacemaking 1696 - 1770

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this pen and brown wash drawing, titled *Scene of Peacemaking,* in the 18th century. Tiepolo, a Venetian painter, situates us within a theatrical scene of reconciliation. The sketch shows a woman seated on a throne, mediating between groups of men in what looks like Roman military garb. One side appears to be surrendering to the other, while a woman rests on the steps below with a child. Rendered with quick, expressive lines, the drama unfolds before our eyes with great emotion. Tiepolo lived in an era defined by social hierarchies and power dynamics. He would have made this sketch during a time when ideas about diplomacy, war, and governance were being questioned and re-evaluated, and themes of peace and reconciliation permeated society. Here, war is portrayed as a male conflict, with women cast in passive roles or as symbols of peace. This drawing reminds us that narratives of conflict and resolution are always shaped by the perspectives and social positions of those who tell them.