Standing Putto Seen from the Front: Study for the Virgin in Glory with Saints Petronius, Dominic, and Peter Martyr
1570/75
Medium
Pen and brown ink on tan laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
20.6 × 7.7 cm (8 1/8 × 3 1/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82357
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In the late Renaissance hub of Bologna, artist Bartolomeo Passar (1529–1592) created this delicate pen and brown ink drawing around 1570–75. Titled *Standing Putto Seen from Front: Study for the in Glory with Saints Petius, Dominic, and Martyr*, it depicts a chubby, winged infant angel—known as a putto—poised frontally in a preparatory sketch for a grander altarpiece or fresco. Passarotti, a key figure in the Bolognese school, drew inspiration from Correggio's soft modeling and Parmigianino's elegant Mannerism, bridging late Renaissance grace with emerging Baroque dynamism. Measuring just 20.6 × 7.7 cm on tan laid paper, this intimate study highlights the meticulous preparatory process of 16th-century Italian artists. Passarotti's precise brown ink lines capture the putto's rounded contours, contrapposto stance, and playful vitality, essential for populating heavenly scenes with lively cherubs symbolizing divine joy. Such drawings were vital tools for refining compositions before painting, showcasing an artist's command of anatomy and movement on a small scale. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, this work offers a window into Bologna's vibrant artistic workshops, where faith-inspired imagery celebrated local saints like Petronius alongside Dominican figures. It's a charming testament to how humble sketches birthed monumental visions of celestial glory.
About the Artist
Bartolomeo Passarotti · 1529–1592
Comment on works: History, Portraits