Vijf putti met bloemen en guirlandes bij vaas 1770

Editor: We're looking at "Five Putti with Flowers and Garlands by a Vase," a drawing by Leendert Brasser from around 1770. It's a flurry of cherubic activity done in ink, charcoal, and pencil on paper. What strikes me immediately is the sense of playful chaos, as if you just walked into a party you weren't invited to. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, chaos orchestrated with a wink! For me, it’s less an uninvited entry, more like stumbling upon a private dream. Brasser is playing with Baroque exuberance, yes, but through the lens of late 18th-century sensibility. The putti, those chubby messengers of love, are almost comically exaggerated. Notice the delicate lines—almost like he sketched the fleeting thought of a giggle. Do you see how their actions border on mischievous rather than purely innocent? Editor: I do! It’s like they're pulling pranks rather than, you know, spreading joy. And the vase feels almost like an afterthought, just sort of...there. Curator: Exactly! The vase, an emblem of classical beauty, is sidelined by the putti’s playful energy. The Baroque loved allegory, but here, the allegory feels secondary to the sheer joy of… well, what? Making a mess? Perhaps it's a comment on fleeting beauty versus the raw energy of youth. It makes me wonder what sort of salon witticisms this drawing might have sparked. Editor: So it's not just cherubs and flowers, it's a bit of social commentary slipped in sideways. It definitely gives me a lot to think about. Curator: Absolutely! These putti, frozen in time with their irreverent charm, manage to wink at us across the centuries, reminding us not to take everything, including art, too seriously. I love the audacity!