Winged Infant Riding a Crouching Horse

About this artwork

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.