This is a drawing of a bull standing on a small platform. The drawing depicts the bull in profile view, facing left, displaying its strong body and curved horns. The bull's tail is raised, adding a sense of motion to the static pose. The artist has used ink to create strong lines and washes to give depth and texture to the bull's musculature and the ground beneath its hooves. The paper is slightly aged, with some visible stains, giving the piece an antique appearance. The ground beneath the bull is rendered in a darker tone, distinguishing it from the lighter background, highlighting the animal's prominence in the drawing.
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This is a drawing of a bull standing on a small platform. The drawing depicts the bull in profile view, facing left, displaying its strong body and curved horns. The bull's tail is raised, adding a sense of motion to the static pose. The artist has used ink to create strong lines and washes to give depth and texture to the bull's musculature and the ground beneath its hooves. The paper is slightly aged, with some visible stains, giving the piece an antique appearance. The ground beneath the bull is rendered in a darker tone, distinguishing it from the lighter background, highlighting the animal's prominence in the drawing.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Bull on a Ledge

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

Date
1770s
Medium
pen and brown ink with brown-gray wash over graphite on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 19.6 x 27 cm (7 11/16 x 10 5/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1983.45.1
Credit line
Gift of Mrs. Paul Scheerer
Time span
1751 to 1775
Department
CG-E

Subjects and terms

  • Venetian
  • mammal
  • animal
  • Cattle
Inscription

lower right in brown ink: Dom Tiepolo

NGA object ID 62324. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.