Putto with Glass, from the series "Bacchus Boy and Putti" early 20th century (original from c.1530-35)

Curator: This intriguing bronze roundel, part of the series "Bacchus Boy and Putti," presents a putto with a glass. It resides in the Harvard Art Museums and its creator is, alas, unknown. Editor: It’s quaint. The texture of the bronze gives it a warm, almost nostalgic feel. I'm also immediately drawn to the iconography of the putto itself. Curator: Ah, the putto, a symbol steeped in classical and Renaissance visual language. Here, it carries what appears to be a glass vessel filled with fruit, evoking themes of abundance and, perhaps, youthful indulgence. Editor: How fascinating that these symbols persist, even when divorced from their original contexts! The round form itself, reminiscent of a coin or medal, speaks to the role of art in commemorating values—or perhaps, desires. Curator: Indeed. The series' connection to Bacchus, god of wine and revelry, further enriches the symbolic layering. It is an object that manages to contain so much! Editor: It’s a beautiful little artifact, a material record of our enduring fascination with pleasure, beauty, and the symbols we use to understand them.