Cupids

The work was created using the brunaile technique (from the French brun – brown) – a monochrome painting style where the image is rendered exclusively in various shades of brown. This is a variation of the more widely known grisaille technique.
The composition covers almost the entire surface of the piece, depicting two naked cupids in the form of winged putti locked in a tender embrace and sharing a kiss. The bodies of the putti are sculpted with soft, rounded forms, featuring delicate linear rendering of light and shadow with smooth transitions that create the three-dimensional effect characteristic of grisaille. Their poses are constructed around mutual movement, with one figure leaning towards the other. The putti embrace gently, their faces brought close together in a kiss, creating a rhythm of mutual attraction and emotional intimacy. The artwork demonstrates an academic, somewhat simplified approach to modelling form. Certain details are rendered decoratively and in a generalised manner, accentuated by distinct contour lines.
The artist employed the contrast of light and shadow to imbue the figures with volume. The light sources vary, softly defining the small, youthful bodies of the cupids, highlighting their plump arms and legs with expressive skin folds. Due to the monochrome execution and a somewhat strict linear form, the viewer's attention is focused on the emotional resonance of the piece, the refinement of the movements, and the symbolism of the imagery. In art, such putti frequently served as embodiments of purity, love, innocence, and divinity.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery