Seated woman with a putto 1775

Simone Cantarini rendered this drawing of a seated woman with a putto with pen and brown ink. The putto, a symbol of divine love and innocence, is a recurring figure that dates back to ancient Roman art. Observe how the putto, derived from the classical Cupid or Eros, evolves through the ages. Initially pagan symbols of desire, they were reinterpreted in Christian art to represent spiritual love, often seen in Renaissance paintings as cherubic angels attending the Madonna. The gesture of the woman in the drawing reflects a profound and enduring human experience. The visual formula—of a maternal figure accompanied by a divine child—engages us, tapping into deeply rooted emotions and subconscious memories. This motif continues to resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, endlessly re-emerging in different cultural and historical contexts.