Frontispiece with Putti and Animals
1653
Medium
Pen and brown and red ink
Dimensions
sheet: 7 5/16 x 5 1/16 in. (18.5 x 12.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.497
Tags
Art Historical Context
Valerio Spada's *Frontispiece with Put and Animals* (165) is a delightful pen drawing in brown and red ink, capturing the exuberant spirit of the Italian Baroque. Created during the height of the 17th in Bologna—where Spada was a prominent artist known for his intricate designs—this sheet measures a modest 7 5/16 x 5 1/16 inches, yet brims with lively energy. As a frontispiece design, it would have adorned the opening page of a printed book, a common practice blending architecture, ornament, and whimsy to draw readers in. Playful putti—those chubby, winged cherubs symbolizing innocence and di...