Drie putti met attributen van de muzen 1715

Bernard Picart created this print, "Three Putti with Attributes of the Muses," around 1715, using etching. During the Enlightenment, the classical world experienced a rebirth. Picart situates his three putti, or cherubic boys, amongst the clouds, and they carry the objects associated with the arts of classical mythology. At the center, one holds a dramatic mask, which represents theatre, and a laurel wreath, symbolising victory. The other two hold a trumpet and drum sticks, alluding to music. These symbols, while celebrating male artistic genius, tend to exclude women. The muses, the embodiment of artistic inspiration, are female, yet here we see only young boys. As we consider this image, what does it mean to depict art as the province of childhood? Do these images resonate today, and if so, how do they shape our cultural landscape?