Monumental Pair of Polychromed and Gilded Angel Putti

A pair of large-scale carved and polychromed wooden putti, each depicted standing upon naturalistic cloud bases, their carved and gilded wings outstretched. One figure, a blond-haired putto, holds a gilded heart and arrow; the other, with dark hair, supports a large anchor. Both wear red-draped loincloths and retain extensive areas of original polychromy and gilding. Height: 28 ¾ in. (73 cm).
These imposing sculptures reflect the exuberant Baroque language of the 17th century, when angelic figures of this scale were commissioned for major ecclesiastical settings — most likely as components of a larger altarpiece, tabernacle, or funerary monument. Their attributes identify them with two of the Theological Virtues: Charity (the heart) and Hope (the anchor). Such allegorical imagery was central to Catholic Counter-Reformation art, intended to inspire devotion through vivid, monumental personifications of core virtues.

Condition: Original polychromy and gilding with expected wear, minor losses, and stable age cracks; structurally sound.

For related monumental polychrome putti embodying allegorical virtues, see examples in the Museo del Barocco, Lecce, and the Bavarian National Museum, Munich.