Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (Venice 1727-1804)

Part of a series of drawings showing animals above a ledge or dado-rail, which were related by James Byam Shaw to frescoes executed by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo at the Villa Tiepolo-Duodo, near Padua (The drawings of Domenico Tiepolo, London, 1962, pp. 42-3). The poses and presentation of the birds may have been inspired by Stefano della Bella's series of etchings of eagles (de Vesme and Massar, nos. 720-25).