Artwork
Putti Harvesting Wheat
Putti Harvesting Wheat is an oil painting. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is a modestly sized, circular oil painting that depicts four plump, nude children, known as putti, engaged in the harvest of wheat.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a genre scene populated by these youthful figures, the painting utilizes the traditional iconography of putti to represent innocence or playful labor.
The work depicts a group of putti engaged in the act of harvesting wheat. As a genre scene populated by these youthful figures, the painting utilizes the traditional iconography of putti to represent innocence or playful labor. The specific subject matter of gathering wheat suggests themes of agriculture, abundance, or the cycle of the seasons.
Executed in the style of Piat Joseph Sauvage, the composition centers on these figures performing a rural task, blending mythological or allegorical elements with a depiction of harvest activities.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on panel, employing the traditional oil paint medium to achieve a smooth, luminous surface. Rendered in the style of Piat Joseph Sauvage, it features a cherubic figure engaged in the harvest of wheat, combining delicate figural detail with a restrained compositional balance. The handling of light and texture emphasizes the softness of the putto’s form while maintaining the crisp delineation of the wheat stalks, creating a harmonious interplay of chiaroscuro and linear precision.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Putti Harvesting Wheat is dated to 1780. It is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work is stylistically attributed to the circle of Piat Joseph Sauvage, often described as being in the style of that artist. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded under accession number 1975.1.223.
It was included in the exhibition “The Age of Sauvage: Piat-Joseph Sauvage (1744–1818) and the European Tapestry Revival” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, from 17 September 2019 to 12 January 2020.
Overview
The work is a modestly sized, circular oil painting that depicts four plump, nude children, known as putti, engaged in the harvest of wheat. The figures are arranged in various poses, some upright, others crouching, each appearing absorbed in the task. A soft, indistinct green landscape forms the backdrop, while a thin golden border edged with minute dots encloses the composition.
Artist & collection
