Italian school of the late 19th century

Italian school of the late 19th century.
"Putto playing the harmonica".
Sculpture in carved marble.
It presents restorations in the base, in the head and in one of the birds.
Measurements: 60 x 19 x 30 cm.

This little Italian-made lovebird delights with its harmonica to three little birds that listen enthusiastically to the resounding notes. The curly hair of the putto frames a plump face with soft features. In the piece one can appreciate the great elegance in the forms with which the gesture is composed and the tactile qualities of such realism achieved.

The "putto" is an element taken from Roman iconography, which in the Baroque period came to be considered the representation of the omnipresence of God. In Antiquity they were related to the Roman genii and the Greek daemons, and were frequent in artistic representations related to Dionysus. From the Renaissance onwards, this bacchic sense of the "putto" was taken up again, but a Christian interpretation prevailed. Thus, artists represented them as musical angels in religious scenes, and as companions of the classical gods in mythological scenes. However, despite their symbolic meanings, the "putti" are above all used as decorative elements, related to peace, prosperity, joy and leisure.