Panelen met zwemmende putti en adelaar 1745

Carl Albert von Lespilliez created these panels with swimming putti and an eagle, sometime in the 18th century, using etching and possibly other techniques. Lespilliez, working during a time of rigid social hierarchies, navigated the world of art and design as a form of social expression. The panels, teeming with putti and symbolic elements like the eagle, reflect the ornate tastes of the period, but look closer and we see symbols of power, religion, and perhaps a subtle commentary on social structures. Who gets to swim freely, who bears the weight of symbols, and who is held aloft by divine light? These aren’t just decorative motifs, they are visual cues that speak to the complex interplay of identity, class, and faith. These panels invite us to consider how art, even in its most decorative forms, can be a mirror to society, reflecting both its aspirations and its inequalities. They remind us that even the smallest cherub can carry a weighty message.