Seated woman holding a tablet and compass (allegory of learning), a winged putto at right
ca. 1600–40
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 6 1/4 × 7 1/8 in. (15.8 × 18.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.4(138)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early Baroque era, Guido Reni, a leading Bolognese artist (1575–1642), created this enchanting etching around 1600–40, exemplifying his graceful, classical style influenced by the Carracci brothers. Titled *Seated Woman Holding a Tablet and CompassAllegory of Learning), Winged Putto at*, the small print (trimmed to 6¼ × 7⅛ inches) captures an idealized female figure embodying intellectual pursuit. Seated elegantly, she holds a tablet for writing and a compass for measurement—symbols of knowledge and geometry—while a playful winged putto (a childlike cherub) hovers nearby, perhaps repres...
About the Artist
Guido Reni · 1575–1642
Guido Reni (1575–1642) was one of the most celebrated Italian painters of the Baroque era and the dominant figure of the Bolognese School. Born into a family of musicians in Bologna, he trained first with Denys Calvaert before joining the influential Accademia degli Incamminati led by Ludovico Carracci. Reni achieved international fame through his idealizing style that combined Baroque dynamism wi...