Inkwell with three putti 1738

This bronze inkwell with three putti was created by Francesco Bertos, an Italian sculptor, sometime before his death in 1741. It is an exuberant object, reflective of the ornate Baroque aesthetic that dominated European art in the 17th and 18th centuries. Historically, the inkwell was a symbol of knowledge, creativity, and power, essential for writing and preserving information. Here, Bertos has transformed it into a playful tableau featuring three putti, winged cherubs, who were a popular motif in Renaissance and Baroque art, often used to represent innocence, love, or divine presence. These figures, however, are not merely decorative. They evoke a complex set of ideas about childhood, knowledge, and authority. By situating these figures around an object of scholarly pursuit, Bertos playfully hints at the process of learning and the transmission of knowledge. The putti are not just passively present; they are actively engaged, one holding a wreath, another a loop, and the third a torch. The sculpture invites us to reflect on the cultural values attached to education, knowledge, and childhood in the 18th century.