Saint Thecla Praying for the Plague-Stricken
The Met
Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo(Italian, Venice 1696–1770 Madrid)
Date: 1758–59
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 32 x 17 5/8 in. (81.3 x 44.8 cm)
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1937
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Vertical painting: figures in bright clouds above a city, with figures on a stone platform below
Detailed Description
This vertical painting is divided into three main horizontal sections, showing figures in clouds above a city. The top section is dominated by bright, golden light and voluminous white clouds. At the center, a bearded man with light-colored robes and arms raised is surrounded by numerous small winged figures and larger winged figures. Some of these figures hold a light blue fabric, and one larger winged figure on the right supports a green globe. The middle section features darker, more turbulent clouds from which several figures appear to be falling or flying downwards. Below these clouds, a panoramic landscape unfolds, showing a sprawling city with numerous buildings, including a prominent church tower, under a pale, hazy sky. Distant mountains are visible on the horizon. The bottom section depicts a stone platform or ledge. On the left, a woman in a white and gold robe kneels or sits, looking upwards with an open mouth and hands raised. Another figure, largely obscured by shadow, is beside her. On the right side of the platform, a man in a red tunic and a child in blue clothing attend to a pale, lifeless figure lying horizontally. A helmet rests near them. Below the platform, a dark, horizontal band features a central decorative element: a sculpted face, possibly a lion or grotesque, flanked by draped garlands.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
