Winged genius holding a tableau, standing on a sphere with three bees

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Cherubino Alberti captures the elegance and symbolic richness of late Renaissance printmaking. Created between 1570 and 1615, the work depicts a winged genius—an allegorical figure often representing inspiration or divine favor—poised gracefully atop a sphere marked by three bees. Alberti, a Roman artist celebrated for his precise burin technique, specialized in translating sculptural and architectural motifs into detailed prints that circulated widely among collectors and artists. The composition’s unusual elements invite reflection on themes of balance, aspiration, and ind...

About the Artist

Cherubino Alberti (Zaccaria Mattia) · 1553–1615

Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615), also known by his birth name Zaccaria Mattia, was an Italian engraver and painter active in Rome during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Born in Borgo San Sepolcro in Tuscany, he came from an artistically inclined family and received training that equipped him for work in both painting and the reproductive graphic arts. It was as a printmaker, however,...