Sleeping Putto
Guido Reni·1663
Historical Context
Sleeping Putto at the Rijksmuseum is a decorative painting of a sleeping winged infant, the type of allegorical figure that populated Baroque ceiling paintings and decorative schemes. Reni's putti were admired for their idealized beauty and tenderness. Guido Reni's refined classicism and ethereal beauty made him one of the most celebrated painters in Europe during his lifetime, his graceful idealized figures expressing a spirituality that appealed equally to Counter-Reformation piety and aristocratic aesthetic sensibility.
Technical Analysis
The sleeping infant is rendered with Reni's characteristic smooth flesh tones and delicate modeling. The relaxed pose and soft lighting create an image of innocent repose.
