Study of a Seated Putto Looking at His Right (recto); A Woman's Head, Study after the Antique (verso) 1590 - 1630

Editor: This drawing, dating roughly from 1590 to 1630, is titled *Study of a Seated Putto Looking at His Right*. It’s at the Met in New York, and done in charcoal. It seems to capture such a fleeting moment of childhood. I'm wondering, what echoes of meaning do you find in this depiction of a putto? Curator: Well, the putto itself is fascinating. These figures—often misconstrued simply as "cherubs"— are, in their original pagan context, representations of Amor, mischievous deities, images of playful innocence, desire, and, when you consider their androgyny, a certain fluidity of identity. Does that shift your reading of this image? Editor: Definitely. The blurring of gender lines adds a layer that I hadn’t immediately considered. I had been thinking about its relationship to conventional religious iconography. Curator: Exactly! Because the Church then adopted them, placing them into an entirely new framework of meaning. A space in which these figures were meant to serve as conveyors of divine love, spiritual messengers… the emotional implications there are intense. Do you feel that pull between the sacred and profane when you view this drawing? Editor: Yes, the way that past and present meanings mix is more clear now. Knowing both layers makes the drawing feel richer and more complex. Curator: And doesn't it deepen our appreciation for how visual symbols are constantly evolving and accruing new layers of significance over time? Editor: It absolutely does. I'll never look at a putto the same way again! Thanks for untangling the layers of meaning for me.