Four Cherubs at Target Practice
1749
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Gilles Demarteau the Elder
Gilles Demarteau the Elder (1776–1776) was an artist.
See the richer artist page1749
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Four Cherubs at Target Practice is a 1749 chalk by Gilles Demarteau the Elder, a Baroque work, depicting Putti, held at National Gallery of Art.
Four cherubs stand in a row, each aiming a small bow and arrow at a distant target. They wear simple cloth around their waists and stand on a grassy patch under a cloudy sky. One cherub squints, another pulls the string back, and two are just watching. This drawing was made using a method called the "chalk manner," which creates soft, grainy lines that look like chalk. It was often used to copy engravings so they could be printed and shared. The artist made this the year he died, 1776, likely as a study or for personal use. Look up the technique: chiaroscuro, impasto, sfumato.
Gilles Demarteau the Elder (1776–1776) was an artist.
See the richer artist page
