Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "L'Etude" door Joseph Alexandre Renoir en rechts "La Fortune" door Etienne Montagny c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus captured these plaster models for sculptures at the Palais du Louvre, featuring Joseph Alexandre Renoir's "L'Etude" and Etienne Montagny's "La Fortune." Observe the recurring motif of the cherubic figure. Here, embodying both study and fortune, these putti hearken back to classical antiquity, where Eros and Cupid served as embodiments of love and desire, often depicted with a similar youthful, innocent form. As these symbols migrate through time, we see them in Renaissance art, adorning religious scenes, and in the Baroque period, symbolizing worldly pursuits of wealth and knowledge. Note how the gesture and context have morphed: from divine messengers to allegorical representations, these figures tap into our collective memory, evoking feelings of innocence, aspiration, and, at times, a yearning for a golden age. The cherub thus becomes a potent vessel, filled with ever-evolving cultural meaning.