Studieblad med tre putti 1720 - 1751

Here we see a study of three putti, made with graphite on paper by Marcus Tuscher. The light touch and spare use of line suggests an interest in form over detail. The figures, each set apart by a thin, horizontal base, become studies in volume and posture. Tuscher explores the semiotics of classical sculpture through the putto, a motif symbolizing innocence, often used in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The three figures each have a distinct, symbolic object which can be interpreted as signs: a putto tasting something, another holding a bowl, and a third holding a candle. Note how the graphic quality of the lines and the tonal range convey the texture and form of the figures, yet the drawing also remains self-consciously a sketch. Observe how Tuscher uses the structure of the poses, enhanced by the sparse linearity, to capture the essence of each putto. He destabilizes the fixed nature of sculptural representation, reminding us that even the most solid forms begin as fluid ideas.