Sculpture, Putto from the altar - Baroque - Gold, Wood, gold leaf - 17th century

Baroque putto-cherub from the early 17th century A fine wooden statue of remarkable craftsmanship In art, a “putto” is a naked child, almost always male and often depicted with wings. The putto figure has been used in allegorical representations or for purely decorative purposes in a repetitive form. The term comes from Latin putus and in the field of art history, it is used in Italian, untranslated, even in other languages. The word was first used in the descriptions of works of art by Vasari in his work Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori e architettori italiani . . . da Cimabue insino a’ tempi nostri. . . (1550-1565) . Putti are a widely spread decorative motif in churches for altars, organs, stucco frames, frescoes and sculptures. Their iconography was never limited by specific rules and putti have no specific attributes, but can use those typical of other figures, taking on different meanings.