Two Putti Floating in the Air 17th century

Curator: Standing before us is an enchanting 17th-century marble sculpture, entitled "Two Putti Floating in the Air," currently housed at the SMK in Copenhagen. Editor: Immediately striking! There's an undeniable tenderness radiating from the intimate embrace and subtle features carved into these figures, a Baroque idealization perhaps masking complex themes? Curator: Quite right. It’s interesting to consider the laborious and deeply skilled methods of marble sculpting during that time. This wasn't just about artistic inspiration; it was physical work that depended upon a clear hierarchy of workshop labor and artistic leadership. Editor: And considering the historical backdrop, what's the intention of this display of innocent love, almost queerly so? Putti have historically embodied both divine love and, often, sexual ambiguity. Are we meant to see this as an idealized affection, or something more transgressive for the period? Curator: Good question. Beyond allegory and symbol, what marble does, too, is present an illusion of smoothness, malleability… and yet it is rock. To extract this quality from such resistant matter demands significant craft, and carries significant cost, immediately positioning such artwork as part of elite patronage. Editor: Absolutely, it invites us to question which narratives and affections are deemed worthy of immortalization and costly material elevation. Who are the historical audiences granted access to and affirmation within the narrative it crafts? Is the sculpture simply an innocent baroque expression, or something more pointedly positioned within societal power dynamics? Curator: Indeed. The artwork is positioned to inspire not just awe or admiration, but active dialogue with the conditions surrounding its production. Considering Baroque ideals regarding form and its marble material properties— its origins and modes of manipulation reveal an implicit discourse on labour, patronage, and display. Editor: Thanks for providing those valuable perspectives. Considering all that, this "innocent" depiction takes on profound socio-political resonances. Curator: I agree completely. It encourages us to reflect on the multiple layers inherent to a sculpture that once might have just seemed a cute portrayal of love.