A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion (after Raphael); verso; The Three Graces (after Raphael) 1574

Editor: Here we have a charcoal drawing by Denijs Calvaert, created in 1574 after Raphael, titled "A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion." It strikes me as quite fantastical, almost dreamlike, with the juxtaposition of these mythical creatures. How do you interpret this work, particularly its symbolism? Curator: Well, first, let's consider what a winged putto generally signifies: divine love, innocence, mediation. Now consider *what* this particular putto is riding! The lion, classically a symbol of strength, royalty, the sun. Juxtapose that with the seahorse, an emblem of the sea, fluidity, adaptability. The fusion… it seems to speak of tamed power. Does this ‘mediation’ have a darker meaning when those beasts are ridden as transport, I wonder? Editor: Tamed power, that's an interesting way to phrase it. I suppose it makes sense, linking earthly power, suggested by the Lion, to spiritual authority. What of the drawing’s connection to Raphael? Curator: Raphael's influence is clear, harking back to classical ideals of beauty and harmony, now filtered through a later Mannerist lens. It invites reflection on the continuity of cultural memory, but also on its transformation. It suggests a lineage of artistic ideas but adapted to a different context. Do you notice the adaptation of shading, almost a symbolic rendering? Editor: Yes, actually! So, it’s not just a copy but a reinterpretation with its own symbolic weight and Calvaert’s own style. I guess these figures aren’t just decorative elements, they really carry the message, changed or renewed, through time. Curator: Precisely! Visual symbols are anything but stable - their meanings ripple through time and context. A powerful idea for a work in charcoal. Editor: Absolutely, a new way of considering ‘copies’ and the agency an artist may have to transform even a ‘reproduction’ into an iconographic statement! Thanks so much.