Sketch of a Putto Holding an Open Book 1805 - 1840

This is William Pitts' "Sketch of a Putto Holding an Open Book," made sometime between 1790 and 1840, with pen and brown ink on off-white laid paper. The drawing presents a complex interplay of classical motifs and the spontaneous quality of a sketch. A putto, or cherubic boy, is rendered with delicate lines. Notice how he holds an open book, the pages defined by sharp, torn edges, suggesting both knowledge and its fragility. The composition feels almost like a fragment, with decorative elements such as foliage and what appears to be a vase, scattered around the central figure. These elements are not merely decorative; they create a sense of depth, guiding the eye through the composition. The sketch seems to destabilize established meanings of classical allegories by presenting them in a raw, incomplete state. The linear quality emphasizes the open-ended nature of knowledge itself, constantly evolving and always subject to reinterpretation.