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Lot Essay
Certain details of the face, such as the exaggerated curls of the hair, pointed nose and chin, and the dimples on the knuckles of the thick hands of the child bear a close resemblance to the work of Hubert Gerhard (1540/50-1620). These characteristics can be seen in works of standing putti and putti playing musical instruments by Gerhard and his assistants in the Freiberg Cathedral (Diemer, op. cit., nos. 277-9 and 296-302), as well as other works by Gerhard (Diemer, op. cit., nos. 20, 68-71, 159, 258).
However, the languid, elongated pose of the child is typically Venetian and comparable to the work of Niccolo Roccatagliata (1560-1636) including putto figures in both the Bode Museum in Berlin (Krahn, loc. cit.) and the Museo Correr in Venice (Mariacher, loc. cit.). The author of the present bronze would appear to have been influenced by both centres of production.
However, the languid, elongated pose of the child is typically Venetian and comparable to the work of Niccolo Roccatagliata (1560-1636) including putto figures in both the Bode Museum in Berlin (Krahn, loc. cit.) and the Museo Correr in Venice (Mariacher, loc. cit.). The author of the present bronze would appear to have been influenced by both centres of production.