Putti 1577 - 1640

Pietro Tacca made this drawing of putti, or angelic toddlers, using pen and brown ink with white gouache on a brownish paper. It gives us insight into the artistic practices of the Italian Baroque, a period heavily influenced by the Catholic Church and its institutions. During this time, the Church was a major patron of the arts, commissioning works to inspire religious fervor. The putti in Tacca's drawing, with their playful innocence, would have been a familiar sight in churches, cathedrals, and private collections. These figures embody a blend of classical and Christian ideals. The drawing itself might have been a preparatory study for a larger sculptural work. Tacca inherited Giambologna's workshop in Florence, along with many commissions, including equestrian statues. As art historians, we can turn to workshop inventories, letters, and other documents to better understand the creative process behind works like this and the institutions that supported them.