Prydvase med to putti (havfruer?). Kopi efter redering (pl. 9) i suiten af de i 1746 af Saly tegnede vaser. "Vasa a se inventa...". 18th century

This drawing depicts a vase adorned with putti, likely made as a copy after a suite of vases designed by Saly in 1746. The vase itself is teeming with symbolism, not least the putti, evoking a sense of innocence and playful energy, acting as messengers between the divine and earthly realms, motifs we see as far back as ancient Roman art. But notice the twisted base of the vase, reminiscent of the classical orders in architecture, specifically the Solomonic column. This design carries a weighty history from antiquity, through its adoption in the Temple of Solomon, all the way up to its use by Bernini at St. Peter’s Basilica, symbolising divine inspiration and wisdom. The imagery in this drawing is a prime example of a symbol—recurrent, charged with emotion and cultural significance—that is continually reborn. It reminds us that we are always looking both forward and backward, perpetually seeking to invest the present with meaning drawn from the past.