Two putti on clouds 1850 - 1900

Editor: Here we have Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise’s "Two Putti on Clouds," made sometime between 1850 and 1900, a watercolor and print drawing held at The Met. I find the subdued colors quite charming. How do you read this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating dialogue between academic artistic traditions and the rise of Romanticism. Genre painting—scenes of everyday life—was becoming increasingly popular, finding its place within the institutional setting of art. How do you view the choice to depict putti within this developing socio-political context? Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn’t considered the evolving audience for art. The putti do seem almost... nostalgic? What were the power dynamics at play when art academies started exhibiting work like this? Curator: Exactly. Think about who gets to decide what constitutes "art," and whose tastes are being catered to. Were these sentimental images of cherubic figures intended to appeal to a specific, possibly bourgeois, segment of society? Did they reinforce or challenge prevailing notions of art and beauty? Editor: So, the placement of this genre-style painting, with classical undertones, really puts into perspective the museum's implicit, or perhaps explicit, mission. It speaks volumes. Curator: Precisely. This image helps us to reflect critically on the institutions of art and the role they play in shaping our understanding of beauty, class, and artistic merit, both then and now. Editor: I hadn't thought about all of that, but looking at it now, this is so much more than just a charming watercolor. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Analyzing the intersection of historical context and institutional choices often reveals the true power embedded within a simple image.