An Italian Renaissance painter, Mariotto di Bindo Biagio Albertinelli was born on 1474 in Florence, Italy. He was the pupil of Cosimo Rosselli. He developed his own unique style which included the use of bright, bold colors and large, simple shapes, but his drawings of the Madonna were still delicate. At the same time, his paintings shared a sweet quality that closely matches the style of his contemporary, Perugino. Fra Bartolomeo was a close friend and collaborator of him, whom he met during his training period. In 1494, both Albertinelli and his friend started a joint studio and produced many works. Sydney Freedberg described his greatest work "Annunciation" as the first example of dramatic painting in Florence after the era of Michelangelo.
The painting, "Putti with Wine Press" was created by Mariotto Albertinelli in 1500. The painting shows twelve playful, childlike figures called putti, having fun picking grapes and making wine under a big grapevine. Some are working together around a wine press and carrying grapes and others are drinking, resting and engaged in other activities. One putto sits among the vine holding a drinking vessel, while another rests on the ground. The artwork combines farming, wine production and joyful youth activity. The artwork shows a religious yet personal arrangement centered around two putti engaged with a pine press, changed a simple task into a meaningful story. The figures look both innocent and busy in their work. The soft details make the figures look real. The use of holy baby figures next to an everyday object gives the painting a deeper Christian and traditional meaning. The artwork feels innocent, gentle and peaceful, as the lively and curious babies work together around the press, showing a sweet and cooperative activity. The scene feels thoughtful as the artist blended the child like fun with deeper meaning to show that innocence is spiritually important. It brings up feelings of gentle amusement, afffection, innocence, and quiet religious devotion. The artist used smooth and precise brushstrokes to make the babies look chubby and soft. He used gentle color transitions and fine details to make the figures look natural. He mixed warm skin tones with soft earthly tones, balanced it with gentle lightning, created a calm and harmonious Renaissance style.
The painting represents a lively scene of putti gathering grapes and making wine around a large wooden wine press. The playful activities of the figures, together with the grapevine and vessels, create a sense of abundance, celebration and enjoyment. I find the contrast between the small childlike figures and the large wine press particularly interesting because it makes an ordinary process of wine production appear playful and theatrical. The circular composition also keeps the viewer's attention focused on the group and their activities. Rather than presenting a single dramatic event, the painting seems to celebrate movement, pleasure and the harvest. The presence of grapes and wine can also carry symbolic associations in Renaissance art, making the scene open to both classical and Christian interpretations.
