Artwork
Nude with Putto
Nude with Putto is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Zanguidi, called Bertoia, Jacopo. It dates from 1559 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work titled *Nude with Putto* is a drawing executed in 1559. It presents a nude figure accompanied by a small cherubic child, known as a putto, rendered in a combination of pen, brown ink, and brown wash, with white highlights applied over a black chalk foundation.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes the adult nude with a youthful putto, a motif common in Renaissance art that often alludes to themes of innocence, fertility, or mythological narrative. The interaction between the two figures invites contemplation of the relationship between the human form and allegorical symbolism.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a layered approach: an initial drawing in black chalk establishes the forms, followed by brown ink and wash to model volume, while selective white heightening accentuates light on the flesh. This method creates a subtle chiaroscuro effect, characteristic of mid‑sixteenth‑century Italian drawing practices.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the Italian draftsman Jacopo Zanguidi, also known as Bertoia, the piece reflects his activity in the mid‑1500s. Documentation places its creation in 1559, though details of its subsequent ownership and collection history remain limited.
Context
During the late Renaissance, drawings served both as preparatory studies for larger works and as finished pieces for connoisseurs. The inclusion of a putto aligns the drawing with contemporary explorations of classical mythology and the humanist interest in idealized anatomy.
Artist & collection
![Massacre of the Innocents [recto], by Zanguidi, called Bertoia, Jacopo](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/zanguidi-called-bertoia-jacopo--massacre-of-the-innocents-recto--10e234e0c20f0571-w320.webp)
![Mars and Diana [recto], by Zanguidi, called Bertoia, Jacopo](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/zanguidi-called-bertoia-jacopo--mars-and-diana-recto--a528dea7036b44d0-w320.webp)
![Kneeling Woman [verso], by Zanguidi, called Bertoia, Jacopo](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/zanguidi-called-bertoia-jacopo--kneeling-woman-verso--fb904e93478d9417-w320.webp)
