Giambattista Tiepolo (Venice 1696 – Madrid 1770) became familiar with the art of engraving whilst still a young man. His first experiences in the field led him to appreciate the technique of etching; this subsequently became one of the more private areas of his art, a moment of personal relaxation from the demands of commissioned paintings and large-scale fresco cycles. Between 1743 and 1757 he would produce twenty-four etchings which in the Catalogo di varie Opere inventate dal celebre Gio. Batta Tiepolo al Servigio di S. M. C. morto in Madrid li 27 Marzo 1770, e incise in n° 25 dallo stesso, e l’altre incise dalli Figli Giandomenico, e Lorenzo, possedute dal medesimo Giandomenico coll’aggiunta d’altre sue Opere – a catalogue drawn up by his son and printed in four consecutive editions – would be published under the title Scherzi di fantasia. The themes are those inspired by paintings of so-called capricci; fanciful scenes combining mystery and magic, these were inspired by the literary and philosophical works of the day. In appendix to the Scherzi there is also the engraving of The Adoration of Magi, whose splendid plate would become one of those collected by Correr.