A Renaissance Italian term for a lively little spirit figure, especially associated with Donatello's revival of animated putti in fifteenth-century sculpture.
Spiritello is an Italian Renaissance term for a “little spirit.” It is especially useful for the lively childlike figures revived in fifteenth-century sculpture, where the form could hover between classical genius, putto, festive sprite, and Christian attendant.
Etymology
Italian diminutive of spirito, “spirit”: literally “little spirit.”
Sculptor Notes
The term preserves something that “cherub” loses: movement and animation. Spiritelli often dance, run, balance, play music, or carry attributes. Their composition should feel airborne or kinetic even when the stone or bronze remains structurally grounded.
References
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/191176; https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_two/chapter_one/article_1/paragraph_5_heaven_and_earth.html