Three Dancing Putti 1640 - 1650

Curator: This drawing, "Three Dancing Putti," is attributed to Leonardo Scaglia and dates back to between 1640 and 1650. It’s currently held here at the Metropolitan Museum. Editor: Instantly, I’m caught by the dynamism, the swirling energy even though it's static. The putti feel caught mid-frolic, mischievous little sprites. I wonder what melody fuels their dance? Curator: The artwork provides a compelling insight into the material processes of the time, crafted with ink and charcoal on paper. Scaglia employed these materials to construct a layered understanding of space. Considering the limited palette and Scaglia's control of tonal range, we might see an allegory of transience. Editor: I adore that you speak of process and allegorical meaning, but when I look, my eyes keep finding themselves drawn to the figures' expressive faces. Their chubby cheeks, and the one on the right seems about to burst into giggles. What about childhood here? It is interesting how the constraints imposed by using solely ink and charcoal amplify an underlying emotion, a concentrated energy that makes you smile at how vividly it springs out of an ancient paper. Curator: That's certainly a reading aligned with Scaglia’s figuration, which blends mythological subject matter with what we might consider a type of early genre painting, focusing on scenes of everyday life -even when it is angelic life! Editor: Absolutely. There’s a freedom here, an acceptance of imperfection even, that feels decidedly modern. And those Baroque flourishes are wonderfully understated allowing the ink and charcoal to do most of the talking and drawing! Curator: Indeed, the combination of materials creates a rich surface, one that draws us into the materiality of its production even while charming us with its imagery. Thanks, I see this in a totally fresh light! Editor: Precisely, that's how conversations with art should work, right? We began somewhere totally opposite, I hope we can agree to come away more joyful for the discussion!