Putti Pair
Medium
painted and gilded wood
Dimensions
55.9 × 41.9 × 41.9 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1971.8
Tags
male
About this artwork
These airborne cherubs probably formed part of the decorations crowning an church altar. One of the putti holds a heart, which would originally have included a flame (now lost). An expression of religious fervor, the burning heart also referenced the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which in Christian imagery symbolized Christ’s love for humanity.