Four giltbronze groups on lapis lazuli bases

A set of four gilt bronze Putto groups in pairs emblematic of the four seasons, each one mounted on a lapis lazuli square plinth.
The Loves are very frequently represented both in the decorative arts and painting. They are represented as children often winged.
They have several meanings, the main one being the evocation of desire, particularly sexual desire. According to Philostratus the Elder in his book Imagines, i, 6, loves are nymphs children that govern mankind. Numerous they are because there are many things that men want in this world. This text was known as the Renaissance and has inspired many artists.
Loves are also represented on funeral monuments to evoke the soul, they are also associated with fine arts and sciences, they are auxiliary of Virtues and Vices.
Loves appear in a large number of compositions without that we can assign them with certainty a role other than ornamental.
Lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock containing silicates of group feldspathoids. It is best known as an ornamental stone, opaque blue, between the blue and ultramarine. Its use is very old, dating back to 7 000 years.