The Departure of the Gondola, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (mid-1760s)

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo’s The Departure of the Gondola captures a moment of Venetian life during Carnival, where masked revelers (morette), veiled figures (bautte), and enclosed gondola cabins (felzi) move through the city’s canals. Two liveried men in blue and white hint at the labor of enslaved and formerly enslaved gondoliers, weaving social reality into the festive scene. The composition balances playful narrative with careful observation, offering a lively glimpse into 18th-century Venice. Following in his father’s footsteps, Domenico developed a distinctive voice through tighter brushwork, a silvery, luminous palette, and a keen eye for human expression. Unlike the grand allegorical commissions of his father, his works often focused on daily life and social rituals, blending narrative charm with technical refinement. In The Departure of the Gondola, these qualities combine to transform a bustling Venetian scene into a vivid, intimate portrayal of both festivity and civic life.