ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Chariot of Aurora

1760s
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 643
This oil sketch was probably presented as a proposal by Tiepolo for the decoration of a ceiling in the royal palace in Madrid. Tiepolo was summoned to Spain in 1762 to decorate the throne room, but a ceiling representing Aurora was painted in the queen’s bedroom in 1763 by Tiepolo’s German rival, Anton Raphael Mengs. Here, Aurora, goddess of dawn, crosses the sky in her chariot, accompanied by the Hours and heralded by Apollo; the figure of Time is on the right. Allegories of abundance appear in the form of Ceres, who holds a sheaf of wheat, and Bacchus, who wears a crown of leaves.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Chariot of Aurora
  • Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Italian, Venice 1696–1770 Madrid)
  • Date: 1760s
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 35 1/2 x 28 5/8 in. (90.2 x 72.7 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Lore Heinemann, in memory of her husband, Dr. Rudolf J. Heinemann, 1996
  • Object Number: 1997.117.7
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Adoration of the Magi, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, Etching
Adoration of the Magi
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
ca. 1753 (?)
Half-dressed Nymph with two children, surrounded by four men, from the Scherzi, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, Etching
Half-dressed Nymph with two children, surrounded by four men, from the Scherzi
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
ca. 1743–50
St. Joseph with the Child Jesus
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
The Family of the oriental Peasant, from the Scherzi, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, Etching
The Family of the oriental Peasant, from the Scherzi
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
ca. 1740
A Shepherd with two Magicians, from the Scherzi, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, Etching
A Shepherd with two Magicians, from the Scherzi
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
ca. 1740

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.