Medaillon en cartouche met putti 1772 - 1779

Jean Pelletier created this print with pen on paper featuring medallion cartouches adorned with putti. These cherubic figures, often seen in classical and Renaissance art, are not mere decorations but carriers of profound cultural memory. Note how they frame central medallions. In one, a woman's portrait sits; in the other, an empty space crowned with a lion head. This echoes a practice found in ancient Roman art, where portrait busts of emperors were similarly flanked by symbols of power and virtue. The putti themselves, derived from ancient depictions of Eros, have evolved from symbols of divine love to playful allegories of human affection, a transformation reflecting a shift from religious to more secular values. Such imagery taps into a deep, subconscious level of recognition. The enduring appeal of these motifs lies in their ability to evoke a sense of continuity, linking us to the past through a shared visual language. The motifs cycle and resurface through history, continually evolving.