Caricature of a Man in a Voluminous Cloak, Carrying a Walking Stick, Seen from Behind 1755 - 1765

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this caricature of a man in ink wash on paper. The artist was working in Venice in the 18th century, a time of elaborate Carnival celebrations when people from all social classes would don masks and costumes and assume new identities. Tiepolo’s caricature captures the spirit of the Venetian Carnival. By exaggerating the man’s voluminous cloak, his modest stature, and his concealed identity, the artist invites the viewer to question the social status of his subject. Is he a nobleman in disguise? Or a commoner playing dress-up? The art of caricature flourished in the eighteenth century alongside the rise of print culture and the increasing circulation of images, and satirical prints critiquing the social order became popular. To understand the cultural and institutional context of Tiepolo’s caricature, we can consult period sources like etiquette manuals, fashion plates, and accounts of Carnival festivities. These resources help us understand the artwork as a reflection on the fluidity of social identity.