Aurora sitting in clouds surrounded by putti binding garlands. Two pages from a sketchbook 1748 - 1752

This drawing in pen and ink depicts Aurora, goddess of dawn, seated on a cloud, attended by putti. Although the artist remains anonymous, the visual language speaks volumes about the cultural context from which it emerged. Likely Italian, the work points towards the traditions of Renaissance classicism that privileged allegorical subjects, visible here through the use of Greco-Roman figures such as Aurora. These provided a culturally sanctioned alibi for the depiction of the nude. The presence of putti – winged infants often associated with divine love, and common motifs in the art of the Italian Renaissance – further ties the work to specific artistic conventions. Understanding this work involves delving into the social history of art, and how academies and workshops structured artistic training, defining what was considered appropriate subject matter and style. It also invites speculation about the artist's intentions and the social function of such imagery. Examining similar works, artist treatises, and archival records might reveal much about the meaning and purpose of this drawing.