Two cupids under a tent, Lorenzo Loli; Artist: after Giovanni Andrea Sirani | Mia

two cupids or putti, one grasping the others arm, with a cloth tied over their heads to tree branch forming a canopy — Two cupids under a tent, 1640
Lorenzo Loli; Artist: after Giovanni Andrea Sirani
Etching
Gift of James A. Bergquist, Boston, in honor of Rachel McGarry 2021.69.13
Not on View
Lorenzo Loli was a Bolognese artist who trained with Guido Reni and Giovanni Andrea Sirani. He made a number of prints based on their designs, including this etching from a series of playful images of putti after drawings by Sirani. Putti, naked boys, and angels were among his favored subjects. Here he offers us a bright, sunny day with strong shadows. Two winged putti are beneath a makeshift tent. One putto reclines on a cloth and holds a bow in his right hand. On the ground is a quiver of arrows. The other putto approaches him from behind and grasps his arm. The quickness of this maneuver is suggested by a fluttering swag of drapery behind the aggressor. It is an open-ended image, inviting the viewer to make up his or her own story.

If we associate these putti with Cupid, the god of love, we might think that the approaching cupid thought the reclining one was loafing on the job; so, he tries to grab the bow to fire up some romance.
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Details

Title: Two cupids under a tent
Dated: 1640
Artist: Lorenzo Loli; Artist: after Giovanni Andrea Sirani
Nationality: Italian
Artist Life: about 1612–1691
Role: Artist
Gallery: Not on View
Department: European Art
Dimension: 6 15/16 × 5 5/16 in. (17.62 × 13.49 cm) (sheet)10 5/16 × 7 7/8 in. (26.19 × 20 cm) (mount)
Credit: Gift of James A. Bergquist, Boston, in honor of Rachel McGarry
Accession Number: 2021.69.13
Medium: Etching
Country: Italy
Century: 17th century
Rights: Public Domain
Classification: Prints
Object Name: Print
Catalogue Raisonne: Bartsch XIX.177.22 LeBlanc 22 Nagler-Kunstlerlexikon 22
Wikipedia: Cite this information
Metadata: Click here to see the machine readable JSON data that underpins this page.
Curator Approved: This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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