Rinaldo and the Magus of Ascalon

c. 1742–45

The fourth and final large narrative canvas from Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s decorative Rinaldo and Armida suite takes place as Rinaldo rejoins the crusader army. The magician of Ascalon uses Rinaldo’s shield to conjure the heroic deeds of his ancestors and urge him to live up to their legacy. In his choice to return to battle, Rinaldo would have served as a positive example of civic duty for the family who commissioned these decorations.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Italian, 1696–1770)

Date

c. 1742–45

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

182.9 × 188 cm (72 × 74 in.); Framed: 194 × 190.2 × 7.6 cm (76 3/8 × 74 7/8 × 3 in.)

Origin

Italy

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Bequest of James Deering