The Investiture of Bishop Harold as Duke of Franconia
The Met
Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo(Italian, Venice 1696–1770 Madrid)
Date: ca. 1751–52
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 28 1/4 x 20 1/4 in. (71.8 x 51.4 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, 1871
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Many people on a grand staircase before a seated figure beneath a large archway
Detailed Description
A vertical rectangular image depicts a crowded scene within an architectural space. In the upper center, a large archway frames a smaller, distant arch opening to a light blue sky with soft pink clouds and a dark, solitary tree on the horizon. Above the main arch, decorative carvings of figures are visible. Draped fabric in shades of olive green and brown hangs in the upper left and right corners. The central figure is seated on an elaborate raised seat at the top of a wide, multi-tiered staircase. This figure wears a red and white robe and a crown or elaborate headpiece. To the seated figure's left (viewer's right), a man with a white beard stands, dressed in a light-colored robe. To the seated figure's right (viewer's left), a nude male statue stands on a pedestal, partially obscured by a white flag with a faint emblem. Numerous figures populate the staircase and the area below. On the left side of the stairs, a group of people, some holding tall red flags, are gathered. A man in a white tunic with red lining is ascending the steps, looking towards the seated figure. Behind him, a man in a dark, flowing robe with a staff also ascends. On the lowest steps and the ground in the foreground, several figures are depicted in various states of repose, some lying down or slumped. One figure on the far right holds a long pole. The overall color palette features earthy browns, grays, and whites for the architecture and many garments, contrasted with reds and the soft blues and pinks of the sky.
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