Winged Putto with a Fantastic Fish thumbnail 1
Winged Putto with a Fantastic Fish thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 64a, The Robert H. Smith Gallery

Winged Putto with a Fantastic Fish

Statuette
ca. 1435 - ca. 1440 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bronze sculpture of a winged putto with a fish is probably made by Donatello, in about 1435-40.

Until the object was cleaned, this putto was thought to be standing on a 'rocky base', but it proved to be a tortoise, one of the Medici emblems. The figure was originally designed for a small wall fountain, most likely for the Villa at Careggi or one of the other Medici villas. It would originally have held a whirligig which would have turned as it was hit by the water from the penis. Jet's of water would also have sprayed from the fish's mouth.

The figure is a putto - or erote, the winged form with classicizing long hair, reminiscent of antique prototypes that seem to have particularly appealed to Donatello.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleWinged Putto with a Fantastic Fish (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze, cast
Brief description
Statuette, 'Winged Putto with a Fantastic Fish', cast in bronze, partially gilded, probably by Donatello, Italy, ca. 1435-1440
Physical description
The figure of the putto (or erote) is posed frontally with wings outstretched, standing on a tortoise. On his head he wears a circlet, below which the hair is disposed in long curls. On his shoulders he supports a fantastic fish. The figure was originally piped for use as a fountain. There is an aperture at the back, and water would have played from both the mouth of the fish and the penis. The putto would originally have held a whirligig, now missing.
Dimensions
  • Height: 40.5cm
  • Width: 40.4cm
  • Depth: 10.6cm
  • Weight: 7.02kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Gallery label
Winged boy with a fish About 1435–40 Donatello (about 1386–1466) This classically inspired and witty figure might have been made for a wall fountain in one of the Medici gardens, since the boy stands on a tortoise, a Medici symbol. Jets of water would have sprayed from the fi sh’s mouth and the boy’s penis, probably turning a waterwheel now missing from the boy’s right hand. Italy, Florence Bronze, with traces of gilding Museum no. 475-1864(2009)
Object history
This small wall fountain figure was most likely made for one of the Medici villas. It was bought from the Piot Collection sale (Paris, 1864, 25-30 April, No. 24, £160).

Until the object was cleaned, the putto was thought to be standing on a 'rocky base', but it proved to be a tortoise, one of the Medici emblems. The putto - or erote - as seen here in its most classical, winged form seems to be the only one used by Donatello. The naked figure stands in a contrapposto pose with his classicizing long hair, all reminiscent of antique prototypes, but transformed and made relevant to the Medici by the discreet addition of their emblem.
Historical context
The figure was originally designed for a small wall fountain, most likely for the Villa at Careggi or one of the other Medici Villas. He would originally have held a whirligig which would have turned as it was hit by the water from the penis.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This bronze sculpture of a winged putto with a fish is probably made by Donatello, in about 1435-40.

Until the object was cleaned, this putto was thought to be standing on a 'rocky base', but it proved to be a tortoise, one of the Medici emblems. The figure was originally designed for a small wall fountain, most likely for the Villa at Careggi or one of the other Medici villas. It would originally have held a whirligig which would have turned as it was hit by the water from the penis. Jet's of water would also have sprayed from the fish's mouth.

The figure is a putto - or erote, the winged form with classicizing long hair, reminiscent of antique prototypes that seem to have particularly appealed to Donatello.
Bibliographic references
  • Motture, Peta, ed., Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, London: V&A Publishing, 2023. p. 187, cat. 3.5, entry by Peta Motture, Attribution: probably Donatello
  • Rowley, Neville, ed., Donatello: Inventor of the Renaissance, Berlin: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, 2022. pp. 212-213, cat. 41, entry by Neville Rowley, Attribution: workshop of Donatello
  • Caglioti, Francesco, ed., with Laura Cavazzini, Aldo Galli, and Neville Rowley. Donatello: il Rinascimento, Venice: Marsilio, 2022. pp. 198-199, cat. 5.3, entry by Neville Rowley, Attribution: workshop of Donatello
  • Baker, Malcolm, and Brenda Richardson (eds.), A Grand Design: The Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V&A Publications, 1999.
  • Gentilini, Giancarlo. I Della Robbia : La Scultura Invetriata nel Rinascimento, vol. 1. Florence, 1992. PP. 106, 163-164
  • Avery, Charles. Donatello: Catalogo Completo delle Opere. Firenze : Cantini, 1991. p. 72
  • Italian Renaissance Sculpture in the Time of Donatello, Detroit, Michigan : Founders Society, Detroit Institute of Arts, 1985 no.23
  • Seymour, Charles. The Sculpture of Verrocchio. London: Studio Vista, 1971. pp. 55-56
  • Pope-Hennessy, John, assisted by Lightbown, Ronald. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum vol.1. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964. pp. 78-80
  • Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932. p. 21
  • Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1864. Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868. p. 72
Collection
Accession number
475-1864

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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