Sheet of border segments: two candelabra and two horizontal pieces with putti, two corners, from Life of the Virgin and Christ 1490 - 1500

This is a sheet of border segments with candelabra, putti, and corners made by Francesco Rosselli around the late 15th century. Rosselli was a Florentine artist working during the early Renaissance, a period marked by a renewed interest in classical art and humanist philosophy. The print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic values of Renaissance society, where classical motifs were reinterpreted through a Christian lens. Putti, derived from ancient Roman art, were often used in Renaissance art to represent innocence and divine love. Here, they are integrated into decorative borders intended for use in scenes from the Life of the Virgin and Christ, blending pagan and Christian symbolism. The idealization of the human form, visible in the cherubic figures, reflects the Renaissance emphasis on humanism and beauty. Rosselli uses traditional representations of religious figures while developing them within the context of Renaissance artistic and philosophical ideals. This artwork offers a window into the complex interplay of classical and Christian influences in Renaissance art, inviting us to consider how artists negotiate cultural traditions.