Five cupids are sacrificing at an altar, 1723

About the Work

Like Isaac de Moucheron (for example "Arcadian Landscape with Palace Architecture" (Inv.-Nr. 6899)), Jacob de Wit was a highly sought-after painter for ceiling and wall decorations in the houses of affluent Amsterdam citizens. He worked in an international style modelled on the work of Rubens and Italian examples. His playful putti were especially popular; in this design for a panel above a double door, they have gathered around an ancient sacrificial altar. Beneath the drawing, the artist noted that the composition was intended for a room in the house of a certain Pieter Pels.