Silly putto: Chubby not cherubic

Gerber Putto   (Fair Use)

Never mistake a putto for a cherub.  Putti (plural of putto) look like chubby human babies, but they’re mythological beings that only symbolize aspects of God.

Cupid, for example, is just “halfway between the realms of the human and the divine.”  Said to be “the god of love and companion of Aphrodite or Venus,” his arrows have caused far more mischief than contentment.

The Gerber baby (who just turned 90, God bless her) is said to be fully human. Although with an angelic image such as hers, who really knows?

Cherubs, on the other face, are quasi- (depending upon which interpretation you adhere to) members of the angelic hierarchy.  Each has a fourfold identity, as depicted by the heads of a lion, ox, human and eagle.  Their roles seem mysterious, but nevertheless vital (as evidenced by their frequent appearances within the Hebrew Bible).

Resources

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/happy-birthday-gerber-baby-youre-90-years-young-today/ar-AAkD7tF?ocid=BHEA000 

Copyright November 23, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved