Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van putti door P. J. Carpey before 1881

This is Charles Claesen’s reproduction of P.J. Carpey’s painting of putti, though the date of its creation is unknown. Reproductions like this one served an important role in popularizing art and making it accessible to broader audiences. Originally created by male artists, putti have been widely used to represent innocence, beauty, and love. But it's worth asking, what narratives are constructed when these figures are repeatedly depicted as exclusively white and genderless? How do such images reinforce and normalize specific notions of beauty and purity, while excluding others? The cultural power of these images lies in their ability to shape our perceptions and emotions. They invite us to consider the implications of these aesthetic choices, and to think critically about the values they perpetuate. Consider how the presentation of idealized figures can also obscure more complex, diverse realities of human experience.