During his long career, Domenico Tiepolo realized three important series of drawings: the Scenes of Contemporary Life, the Divertimento per li regazzi, and the so-called New Testament. The latter group, executed when Tiepolo was around sixty years old, included 313 religious drawings illustrating the events of early Christianity, from the story of Joachim and Anna to the martyrdom of SS. Peter and Paul. The present sheet is one of the most moving scenes from this cycle and depicts Jesus prostrate, his hands clasped in prayer, on the night before his crucifixion. -- Exhibition Label, from "Drawn to Greatness: Master Drawings from the Thaw Collection."
Signed at lower left: "Dom. Tiepolo".
Watermark: Open crown above letters "GAF".
Cormier, Roger, former owner.
Trevise, Duc de, former owner.
Thaw, Eugene Victor, former owner.
Thaw, Clare, former owner.
The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, "Drawn to Greatness: Master Drawings from the Thaw Collection", 2017. Exh. cat., no. 374, repr.
Stampfle, Felice, and Cara D. Denison. Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene V. Thaw. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1975, no. 58.