Two Putti Trying To Stop a Monkey Abducting a Child
Original title: Two Putti Trying To Stop a Monkey Abducting a Child from a set of the Giochi di Putti
kurzbeschreibung
This tapestry from the 'Giochi di Putti' series is attributed to Giovanni da Udine, called Giovanni dei Ricamatori, and dates to around 1635. It shows two putti trying to hold back a monkey that is carrying a child on its back. The piece was woven in wool and silk over a wool warp.
Description
A monkey with a child on its back occupies the middle of the field. Putti close in from both sides, reaching for it with arrows and other objects. Flowers, fruit and emblems cover the ground densely. The layout is built around a central axis, with the monkey and child forming the focal point. Browns, reds and yellows dominate the colouring.
Context
Within the putti series 'Giochi di Putti', this piece belongs to a genre that was popular in the sixteenth century for furnishing noble palaces; playful and mythological subjects were customary for such schemes. Giovanni da Udine, a pupil of Raphael, was known for his grotesques and putti. Who commissioned the work is not recorded, but the elaborate execution suggests a patron of high standing.
Impact
Movement and unrest shape the motif, heightened by the abduction of the child at the centre of the action. An opulent yet cheerful mood arises from the warm tones and the dense working of the surface. The mirror-like arrangement of the design tempers the turbulent event and gives it stability.
Technique
The tapestry was woven on a loom with a wool warp; wefts of wool and silk are added. This combination yields a precise rendering of details and a faint sheen. The silk in the weft enhances the intensity of the colours and the handle of the fabric.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)