Roberto Calasso delves into the enigmatic world of Giambattista Tiepolo, the illustrious eighteenth-century Venetian painter. While Tiepolo's grand frescoes adorned churches and palaces, his series of bizarre and haunting etchings remained largely unexamined. Calasso interprets these etchings as a dark narrative, revealing the secret heart of Tiepolo’s art, populated by figures like blooming ephebes, Oriental sages, owls, snakes, Venus, Time, and Cleopatra, forming a vibrant, unsettling company.

Why You Should Read?

• Discover Roberto Calasso's unique interpretation of Tiepolo's lesser-known, complex etchings.
• Explore the cultural and mythological landscape surrounding Tiepolo's 18th-century Venetian art.
• Gain insight into the mind and artistic genius of a master whose work continues to intrigue.