Putti with a Medallion 1740 - 1778

Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen made this oval oil painting, "Putti with a Medallion," sometime in the 1700s. It depicts cherubic figures surrounding what appears to be a carved, gilded medallion. Look closely, and you'll notice the remarkable imitation of other materials. The cherubs seem to float on clouds of pigment, while the central medallion has the crisp look of plaster or gesso. Eisen was not just a painter, but also a designer of luxury goods. He understood how to convey the allure of precious materials, like the gold in the medallion's frame. This connects to a broader culture of refinement and consumption, increasingly widespread in Europe at the time. The amount of skilled labor to create such an effect shouldn't be underestimated. The techniques of oil painting, combined with Eisen’s design expertise, speaks volumes about the hierarchies of value that existed then, and arguably persist today. Here, painting is used to evoke sculpture, and sculpture to evoke wealth. Considering the artwork in terms of its making helps us see beyond conventional distinctions between the fine and decorative arts.