Artwork
Errand Boy Seated with a Basket on His Back, Eggs and Poultry
Errand Boy Seated with a Basket on His Back, Eggs and Poultry is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Giacomo Ceruti. It dates from 1735 and is held in the collection of the Pinacoteca di Brera.
About this work
Overview
Errand Boy Seated with a Basket on His Back, Eggs and Poultry is a 1735 oil painting by Giacomo Ceruti, an Italian late Baroque artist. The work is now held in the Pinacoteca di Brera.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a young boy sitting with a large wicker basket on his back and a smaller one filled with eggs and poultry in his lap. He gazes directly at the viewer with a neutral expression, set against a dark stone wall that contrasts with his light clothing.
Technique & Style
Ceruti's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume, emphasizing the boy and his baskets. The artist's realistic and empathetic depiction of everyday people, often those in poverty, is characteristic of his style and earned him the nickname Pitocchetto.
Context
As a rococo work, Errand Boy Seated with a Basket on His Back, Eggs and Poultry reflects the period's attention to detail and everyday life, though its somber mood diverges from the movement's typical lightness.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giacomo Antonio Melchiorre Ceruti (13 October 1698 – 28 August 1767) was an Italian late Baroque painter, active in Northern Italy.
