Putto with a Dolphin c. 1750

This 'Putto with a Dolphin' was sculpted by Edme Bouchardon and resides in the Rijksmuseum. The cherubic figure clasps a staff, standing triumphantly over a dolphin, a symbol laden with meaning. In antiquity, the dolphin was a guide of souls, often linked to deities like Aphrodite or Neptune, protectors of sailors. In the Renaissance, this iconography experienced a resurgence, embodying themes of salvation and rebirth. Here, the putto, a symbol of divine love, subdues the dolphin. This resonates with Christian allegories of overcoming earthly desires. The dolphin appears in various contexts from ancient mosaics to Renaissance fountains, its symbolism shifting yet retaining echoes of its watery origins and connections to the subconscious. This image engages us on a deep, almost primal level, a visual echo of humanity’s complex relationship with nature and the divine. The image, like a persistent dream, surfaces through history, its essence transforming with each telling, reminding us of the enduring power of symbols to navigate our collective psyche.