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Blumka
Hans Leinberger
Two Welsch Putti
A pair of putti in expressive poses , created by Hans Leinberger's exceptional quality carving.
Height 11.8 in. (30 cm) and 14.2 in. (36 cm)
description
Both heavenly children hover, as if caught in full flight. The artist knew how to capture the dynamism of their movement and the tension in their bodies in the most powerful of ways – a considerable achievement on the part of Leinberger.
While the left-hand putto crosses its short legs in mid flight, it twists its upper body to keep its balance.The torsion is especially pronounced. Its arms are also turned in a correspondingly expressive manner. The angel looks upwards to the right, its pointing arm gesturing to its counterpart. The tension extends through the whole body right down to its splayed toes. The right-hand putto looks as if it has been caught while leaping. The right-hand side of its torso is foreshortened, the figure’s right leg is bent while its left leg is thrust dynamically away from its body. The right hand is raised in a slightly defensive position; its left hand balances the movement.
As these two exceptional sculptures are no longer in their original context, the question arises as to what was between them when first carved. What is certain is that these are not little angels in a conventional sense. They are wearing armour like warriors from Antiquity. Their headgear is also reminiscent of Herculean heroes. The helmet of the putto on the right is in the shape of a lion’s head, embellished on the sides with fantastic spirals of ram horns. Leinberger even equipped the winged boy with a leg pad, rounded off with a rosette. The left-hand figure, on the other hand, boasts a crested helmet with a bear-like face on it. Both putti are wearing soft cuirasses that take on the shape of their well-nourished stomachs. Only the feathered wings growing from their shoulders indicate that both are celestial beings. Another feature that is most unusual for an angel can be seen on the left-hand putto: behind his back, his hand and fingers are making a so-called mano in fica (fig-hand) gesture.
Influences in the so-called Welsch or Romanic manner – stylistic characteristics from the Italian Renaissance that were largely unknown at that time north of the Alps – are especially noteworthy in this work by Hans Leinberger.
While the left-hand putto crosses its short legs in mid flight, it twists its upper body to keep its balance.The torsion is especially pronounced. Its arms are also turned in a correspondingly expressive manner. The angel looks upwards to the right, its pointing arm gesturing to its counterpart. The tension extends through the whole body right down to its splayed toes. The right-hand putto looks as if it has been caught while leaping. The right-hand side of its torso is foreshortened, the figure’s right leg is bent while its left leg is thrust dynamically away from its body. The right hand is raised in a slightly defensive position; its left hand balances the movement.
As these two exceptional sculptures are no longer in their original context, the question arises as to what was between them when first carved. What is certain is that these are not little angels in a conventional sense. They are wearing armour like warriors from Antiquity. Their headgear is also reminiscent of Herculean heroes. The helmet of the putto on the right is in the shape of a lion’s head, embellished on the sides with fantastic spirals of ram horns. Leinberger even equipped the winged boy with a leg pad, rounded off with a rosette. The left-hand figure, on the other hand, boasts a crested helmet with a bear-like face on it. Both putti are wearing soft cuirasses that take on the shape of their well-nourished stomachs. Only the feathered wings growing from their shoulders indicate that both are celestial beings. Another feature that is most unusual for an angel can be seen on the left-hand putto: behind his back, his hand and fingers are making a so-called mano in fica (fig-hand) gesture.
Influences in the so-called Welsch or Romanic manner – stylistic characteristics from the Italian Renaissance that were largely unknown at that time north of the Alps – are especially noteworthy in this work by Hans Leinberger.
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