Who painted Putti Playing?

Putti Playing was painted by Hendrik van Limborch in 1700 - 1720.

Where can I see Putti Playing?

Putti Playing is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Putti Playing?

Putti Playing is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Putti Playing?

Museum-quality prints of Putti Playing are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Putti Playing

Hendrik van Limborch , 1710

Putti Playing is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Hendrik van Limborch. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This painting depicts a lively scene of putti engaged in a game of blind man's bluff within an expansive landscape.

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is classified as a painting. Its title, “Putti Playing,” indicates a figurative subject of cherubic children at play, a motif common in allegorical and decorative compositions of the period. Beyond the medium and subject, the available sources do not document the support, dimensions, or condition of the piece.

Context

Putti Playing is a painting by Hendrik van Limborch, a Dutch artist active in the early eighteenth century who worked in The Hague.

Putti Playing is a painting by Hendrik van Limborch, a Dutch artist active in the early eighteenth century who worked in The Hague. Van Limborch trained successively under Jan Hendrik Brandon, Robbert Duval (from 1696), Jan de Baen, and from 1699 Adriaen van der Werff in Rotterdam, whose refined style he came to imitate. He was registered as a master in the Hague Guild in 1706 and built his reputation primarily on portraits and historical allegories, a body of work that situates Putti Playing within the classicizing, finely finished tradition associated with van der Werff's circle.

The painting is recorded in the Gemälde-Galerie zu Dresden catalogue compiled by Hans Posse (1930), and van Limborch is documented in standard Dutch reference works including the Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden. Works by him are also held by the Rijksmuseum.

Overview

This painting depicts a lively scene of putti engaged in a game of blind man's bluff within an expansive landscape. One cherubic figure, blindfolded, reaches out while companions scatter playfully. The composition includes a classical statue and a distant, mountainous vista, characteristic of decorative art from its period. The work captures a lighthearted spirit, often found in 18th-century interiors.

Subject & Meaning

The central action portrays several putti, or winged infants, caught in the midst of a game. One figure, eyes covered, extends its arms in search, while others react with amusement and movement. To the left, a stone sculpture of a seated woman observes the scene from a plinth, grounding the playful activity within a classical setting. The background features rolling hills and an obelisk, adding depth to the pastoral environment.