Two Putti Fighting
1747-1785
Medium
Black and red chalk on gray prepared ground on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
25.1 × 28.1 cm (9 15/16 × 11 1/8 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
115774
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Giovanni Battista Cipriani’s *Two Putti Fighting* captures a lively moment between two cherubic figures rendered in black and red chalk on gray prepared paper. Created sometime between 1747 and 1785, the drawing exemplifies the graceful, classically inspired subjects popular in eighteenth-century Europe. Putti—playful childlike beings drawn from ancient mythology—were frequently used to evoke innocence, mischief, and the spirit of antiquity in both decorative and fine-art contexts. The medium itself is noteworthy: the combination of black and red chalk on a toned ground allowed artists like Cipriani to achieve subtle modeling, soft transitions, and a sense of volume with remarkable economy. Measuring just over nine by eleven inches, the sheet likely served as a study or presentation drawing, reflecting the refined draftsmanship prized by collectors and academies of the period. Today housed in the Prints and Drawings department of the Art Institute of Chicago, the work offers viewers an intimate glimpse into the technical skill and imaginative charm that defined Cipriani’s contribution to late-eighteenth-century art.
About the Artist
Giovanni Battista Cipriani · 1766–1839
Giovanni Battista Cipriani was born on April 20, 1766, in Siena, Italy, to Simon Pietro Cipriani and Eva Bandini. He grew up alongside his brothers Barbato, a sculptor, and Galgano, an engraver, in a family immersed in the arts. Cipriani began his education studying Latin and mathematics before pursuing fine arts under the sculptor and architect Giuseppe Silini in Siena.) His talent earned him a p...