Italian School Of The 18th Century, Allegory Of Madness In The Form Of A Putti

Italian School of the 18th Century
Allegory of madness, in the form of a putti wearing a bonnet

Pen, red ink and black chalk on laminated tracing paper
H. 10.4; W. 17.2 cm
Bears the stamp of the Alexis Forel museum (Lugt 4549) at the bottom left
Old green mounting with gold band framed by pen and black ink lines
Inscription on the back, partly illegible: "[…] unique, engraved by Mr Antoine from the collection of Mr Evrard"

This very pretty drawing with squaring, represents a row of three putti. The putto who occupies the center, wears on his head a bonnet with bells, an attribute traditionally associated with allegorical representations of madness. The two cherubs who frame him, seem to want to push him away and move away from him, thus representing prudence.

Our drawing is similar to an anonymous print dated from the 16th century, from the collection of Michiel Tijmensz. Hinloopen (1619-1708), now kept at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (object number RP-PHH-909).