Putto zittend op een boog, van onderaf gezien 1588 - 1615

This red chalk drawing was made by Bartolomeo Schedoni, and depicts a ‘putto’ sitting on an arch. In Renaissance art, the putto, a chubby male child, often winged, embodies divine love, found in both sacred and secular contexts. Here, the putto’s upward gaze and reaching gesture evokes a sense of aspiration, mirroring similar gestures seen in countless depictions of the Virgin Mary or rising saints. The motif of the reaching hand can be traced back to antiquity, seen in images of emperors or gods bestowing blessings or receiving homage. Consider the image of a Roman emperor raising his hand in a gesture of authority; this image evolved through the centuries, reappearing in Christian art as a symbol of divine grace. Such gestures tap into our collective memory, triggering subconscious associations with power, protection, and hope. These symbols are not static, but rather evolve and are continually reinterpreted through history, demonstrating the enduring power of images to connect us to our shared cultural past.