Putto Holding a Cloud and Horn
late 16th–mid 17th century
Medium
Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash. Incised for transfer
Dimensions
6 9/16 x 4 5/16 in. (16.7 x 11.0 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman
Accession Number
56.507.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 16th to mid-17th century, Dutch artist Crispijn de Passe the Elder crafted this delicate drawing, *Putto Holding a Cloud and Horn*, capturing the playful essence of Renaissance putti—those cherubic child figures symbolizing innocence and divinity. Depicting a chubby putto cradling a fluffy cloud and a slender horn, the work evokes the whimsical motifs popular in Northern European art, blending Mannerist elegance with emerging Baroque exuberance. De Passe, a master engraver from Antwerp, was renowned for his intricate designs that often served as models for prints, reflecting the er...