Sleeping Putto 1627 - 1700

Guido Reni painted this Sleeping Putto with oil on canvas, sometime between 1575 and 1642. The painting shows a child asleep on draped fabric. But the subject is not as important as the artist's technique, which would have begun with the preparation of a wood frame, over which the canvas was stretched. Reni would have grounded this surface with gesso, to give the paint purchase. From there, he would have slowly built up the image in layers, perhaps using lead white to give the paint body and opacity, and walnut oil to increase its flow. Consider how the material qualities of the painting influence our appreciation. The canvas gives a subtle texture to the paint. The way he has manipulated the oil paint into thin glazes creates the soft transitions of light and shadow to give the skin tone a pearlescent appearance. The artist's skilled handling of the materials transforms an ordinary canvas into an object of beauty. This emphasizes the need to appreciate the handwork involved, and challenges a narrow focus on subject matter alone.