Seated Putto n.d.

This red chalk drawing of a seated putto is held at the Art Institute of Chicago, though its maker is currently unknown. Rendered in sanguine, the anonymous artist captures the figure of a chubby, sleeping male child. Though the artist is unknown, the rendering of the putto draws upon a visual language of Renaissance art which celebrated male beauty. Often commissioned by wealthy patrons, these works are loaded with social, cultural, and gendered implications. The image raises questions about innocence, vulnerability, and perhaps even exploitation. What does it mean to aestheticize childhood? Is it an attempt to capture a fleeting moment of purity, or does it reflect deeper societal attitudes towards youth and power? The drawing evokes a sense of intimacy, inviting us to consider the gaze through which we view such images.