Study of a Putto Seated on a Corbel in a Shell Niche 1669 - 1681

Carlo Maratti made this drawing with red chalk sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. It’s a study of a putto, a kind of cherubic figure common in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art. The sketch gives us insight into artistic training in Italy at the time. Artists like Maratti paid special attention to the human figure, even at a young age. The institutions of art education, such as the Accademia di San Luca in Rome, emphasized drawing from life and the study of classical sculpture. Putti, with their soft, fleshy forms, provided excellent subjects. Looking at the drawing, we can imagine Maratti working and re-working the pose of the putto, trying to capture the perfect balance of weight and movement. We might turn to the archives of the Accademia to better understand the specific pedagogical context in which Maratti was working. Art history shows us that even the most seemingly innocent images are shaped by social and institutional forces.