Putti dragen een boog met buste 1737 - 1754

Benedikt Winkler created this print, "Putti dragen een boog met buste," sometime in the 18th century. During this time, the decorative arts flourished, revealing a society deeply invested in aesthetics and symbolism. Here, we see putti, often interpreted as symbols of innocence and purity. They carry a cartouche, a blank space waiting to be filled with meaning. Above them, a bust sits, a fragment of history or perhaps a nod to the classical world. It’s fascinating how Winkler uses these figures, traditionally associated with the divine, to frame earthly power and status. What does it mean to position innocence as the carrier of history and authority? How does it challenge or reinforce societal structures? Ponder the emotional weight of these images, and how they invite us to reflect on the relationship between power, innocence, and representation.