Putti 1710 - 1772

Editor: Today we’re looking at "Putti," a pencil drawing by Petrus Johannes van Reysschoot, created sometime between 1710 and 1772. I’m struck by the figures’ weightlessness despite the dense pencil strokes. They almost seem to float on the page. What draws your eye when you look at this work? Curator: Ah, yes! The putti are, indeed, seemingly weightless, aren't they? I see playful exploration of form. It is, after all, a study! And in the Baroque style no less; theatrical, yet… also very human. Look at how van Reysschoot uses hatching and cross-hatching to create depth. The children's bodies are almost sculptural in their dimension. Editor: Sculptural, definitely. It feels like he was mapping out how light would fall on them if they were 3D. It makes me wonder if it was made as a prep drawing for a painting or even sculpture. Curator: Perhaps! The Baroque era loved to fuse painting, sculpture, and architecture, and drawings like these might explore that interplay. Think of Bernini's work, filled with drama and movement! Consider how Van Reysschoot captures this same energetic feel with simple pencil strokes. Isn't that remarkable? I bet it was a study for some exuberant flourish atop a doorway, or an exuberant painting... what do you think they're up to? Editor: You know, I initially just saw these figures as cherubic decorations. Now I wonder if there’s also a narrative. Their gestures, like the figure reaching out... it hints at a story beyond pure ornamentation. It really adds a whole layer. Curator: Exactly! These figures – ostensibly mere decoration – become actors on a small stage. I wonder if this added level can only be grasped by a curious audience like us. What do you think, moving forward, that you would title this? "Story of Putti?" "Weightless Angels?" or perhaps you may consider "Flurry of Fun". The mind reels. Editor: I'm leaning toward "Flurry of Fun!" Thanks for showing me new perspectives; it definitely shifted how I appreciate this drawing. Curator: It seems that we, too, have discovered a hidden fresco!