Vaas met plassende putto c. 1554

Leonardo da Udine made this ink drawing of a vase with a urinating putto at an unknown date. Renaissance art was deeply influenced by classical antiquity, but it also mirrored the social and cultural values of the time. Here, a winged putto, a symbol of innocence, urinates into a basin—an action that might seem shocking today but reflects a different sensibility in the Renaissance. The male gaze is evident, with the putto’s nudity presented without shame, embodying an idealized form of male beauty. This vase blends classical forms with playful, even provocative, imagery. It invites us to consider how art often reinforces dominant cultural perspectives, reflecting norms of beauty, gender, and power. The emotional impact lies in the tension between the sacred and the profane. How does the juxtaposition of innocence and the body challenge our perceptions and reveal unspoken cultural attitudes?