Twee putti en een vaas met rozen 1608 - 1688

This print, "Two Putti with a Vase of Roses," was created by Claude Mellan in the 17th century, using burin engraving. The symmetrical composition immediately draws the eye, with two cherubic figures flanking an ornate vase overflowing with roses. The image operates within a carefully constructed visual language. The cherubs, positioned as mirror images, support a garland of roses that frames the inscription above. Note how the vase, adorned with fleur-de-lis, and the cherubs themselves, act as structural elements. The delicate lines of the engraving create a tactile contrast with the smooth skin of the putti and the soft petals of the roses. The overall design reinforces a sense of order and balance, which speaks to the classical ideals prevalent during Mellan’s time. The composition directs our gaze upwards, inviting us to contemplate the relationship between earthly beauty, suggested by the roses, and divine grace, embodied by the cherubs. This reflects a broader cultural engagement of how earthly and heavenly realms are deeply interconnected.