Putti Holding Swan
n.d.
Medium
Pen and gray ink, with brush and gray wash, on cream laid paper, laid down on ivory laid card
Dimensions
10.6 × 12.5 cm (4 3/16 × 4 15/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
84331
Art Historical Context
Hans von Aachen, a leading German painter of the late Mannerist period, created this delicate drawing of putti holding a swan as part of his exploration of mythological and allegorical themes. Active at the imperial court of Rudolf II in Prague, von Aachen often incorporated playful cherubic figures into compositions that blended classical motifs with elegant, stylized forms. The swan, a traditional attribute of Venus, suggests themes of love and beauty that resonated in courtly art of the era. Executed in pen and gray ink with brush-applied wash on laid paper, the small sheet—just over four ...