Putto with a Shepherd’s Crook 

Editor: This is Joseph Highmore's, *Putto with a Shepherd's Crook*, a small ink drawing. It feels like a quick sketch, capturing a playful moment. What do you make of it? Curator: This drawing reflects the 18th-century fascination with classical imagery. The putto, or cherubic figure, was a popular motif, often linked to themes of love and innocence. The staff gives the impression of pastoral idealism. What kind of audience do you think this was intended for? Editor: Perhaps a private collector, someone interested in the aesthetics of the period? I wonder if the sketchiness affected the price? Curator: Exactly. Its modest scale suggests it could have been made for a collector to appreciate in an intimate setting. This also shows us that it was intended for a very different audience than the large-scale history paintings of the time. Editor: That really illuminates the context. It's amazing how much the scale and presumed audience can tell us! Curator: Indeed!