Winged Infant Riding a Crouching Horse

Art Historical Context

Behold the whimsical yet masterful *Winged Infant Riding aching Horse*, a pen and brown ink drawing by Giulio Romano (c. 1499–1546), the celebrated Italian Mannerist artist and Raphael's favored pupil. Created in an undated sketch (likely early 16th century), intimate sheet measures just 4 13/16 x 6 3/8 inches, showcasing Romano's virtuosic draftsmanship. Mannerism, his signature style, thrives on elegant distortions and dynamic energy—evident here in the playful putto (winged child) astride a powerfully coiled horse, evoking mythological frolic or allegorical delight. Romano's technique shines through precise brown ink lines, fluid hatching, and cross-hatching that model form and motion with remarkable economy. Such drawings often served as preparatory studies for frescoes or paintings, as seen in his grand works at Palazzo del Te in Mantua. Horses, a recurring motif symbolizing vigor and nobility, add a burst of vitality to this fantastical scene, blending Renaissance humanism with Mannerist exaggeration. Generously gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Katrin Bellinger in 2008, this gem from the Drawings and Prints department invites us to marvel at Romano's inventive spirit— a tiny window into the creative ferment of High Renaissance Italy.

About the Artist

Giulio Romano · 1499–1546

Giulio Romano (c. 1499–1546) was the most gifted pupil of Raphael and one of the founding figures of Mannerism, the style that succeeded the High Renaissance in Italy. Born Giulio Pippi in Rome, he entered Raphael's workshop as a boy and proved so talented that by the time of Raphael's death in 1520 he was effectively running the studio and overseeing the completion of major unfinished commissions...