Putto met een wapenschild 1520s - 1530s

Pordenone made this red chalk drawing of a putto with a shield sometime before 1539. The child stands in contrapposto pose next to a shield, perhaps representing a family crest. Such imagery was common in Renaissance Italy. Powerful families showed their status through symbols, prominently displayed on buildings, documents, and works of art. Pordenone was working in a society where patronage and civic pride went hand in hand. Artists depended on commissions from wealthy elites and institutions. This drawing might be a study for a larger project, like a fresco decorating a palace or church. The Rijksmuseum’s records, along with other historical resources, can tell us more about the drawing’s provenance, its relationship to other works by Pordenone, and the social context in which it was made. By examining these kinds of historical materials, we can better understand the cultural meanings embedded in this image.