Model for an Overdoor Lunette with Putti and Fish for the Amsterdam Town Hall (now Royal Palace) at Dam Square c. 1650 - 1651

Curator: Look at this fascinating relief! This is a model by Artus Quellinus, from about 1650 or '51. It's a study for an overdoor lunette—a semicircular sculpture—intended for the Amsterdam Town Hall. The Rijksmuseum holds it now, but can you imagine seeing it above a doorway? Editor: My first impression is... playful! Those cherubic figures make it look less like a solemn declaration of civic virtue and more like something from a Roman bathhouse! Curator: The playfulness is deceptive, I think. Note how the composition divides: on one side, a plump putto, seemingly falling amid some fruit, countered by another astride a fish. The Baroque is all about dramatic contrast. Editor: Absolutely! And look at that dynamic tension in the curved lines of the lunette! The artist definitely uses that semi-circle to draw the eye across the entire composition. Beyond the formal, it just strikes me as rather opulent. So many cherubs were in style back then! Curator: Well, opulent maybe, but each element held symbolic weight within the Town Hall’s decorations. Think about the fish, symbols of abundance—particularly apt for a trading city such as Amsterdam. There's always the argument if these sculptures held classical allegory too! Editor: True, allegory was everywhere! It’s interesting to consider what isn't shown here. What other imagery were they considering? Also, how does its scale dictate the viewer's experience when installed above a doorway? All interesting to contemplate. Curator: Exactly! That’s the joy of studying preparatory models. It provides a small intimate lens through which one gains new context of the larger final project! Editor: Right, getting a glimpse into the artistic process itself. You almost feel like you’re intruding on the artist's thoughts. It enlivens the viewing experience and enhances my perspective of Baroque artistry overall.