Artwork
Putti with a Medallion
Putti with a Medallion is a wood painting by the Rococo painting artist Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen. It dates from 1759 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
To learn more about the artist who created this work, look up Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen (French, 1720–1778).
This painting features a medallion at its center, surrounded by a gold frame. The medallion depicts a woman and a baby, with the woman holding a bow and arrow.
The medallion is held up by a group of cherubs, who are gathered around it. The background of the painting is a light blue color, with some clouds visible behind the cherubs.
The painting's use of color and composition creates a sense of depth and dimensionality. To learn more about the artist who created this work, look up Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen (French, 1720–1778).
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1759 by Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen, this wooden painting presents a composition centered on putti interacting with a medallion. The iconography relies on the depiction of these winged infant figures, a common motif in Rococo art often associated with love, playfulness, or divine presence. The inclusion of the medallion suggests a focal point for the figures' attention, potentially symbolizing a specific virtue, commemorative event, or allegorical concept, though the specific inscription or image within the medallion is not detailed in available records.
The work serves as a decorative representation of classical themes, utilizing the cherubic forms to convey a sense of lightness and ornamental grace typical of Eisen's output during the mid-18th century.
Technique & Style
Putti with a Medallion is classified as a painting executed on wood, a support consistent with mid-eighteenth-century French panel practice. The work measures 64.5 cm in height by 54 cm in width, an upright format suited to its figural composition of putti and a medallion. Created in 1759 by Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen, the painting reflects the period's taste for small-scale, finely wrought cabinet pictures on wooden panels rather than canvas.
The medium and dimensions together suggest an intimate, decorative handling typical of Eisen's production during this phase of his career.
History & Provenance
Putti with a Medallion is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, according to the Wikidata record for the work.
No inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
This artwork, titled Putti with a Medallion, was created by the French artist Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen in 1759. Executed as a painting on wood, the composition centers on a decorative medallion held aloft by several putti, or cherubic figures. The piece is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a glimpse into 18th-century decorative artistic trends.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen
Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen (1720–1778) was a French artist, born in Valenciennes.
