Raphael The Cherubim Putti Angels of The Sistine Madonna, c.1514

In this detail from Raphael's famous painting, 'The Sistine Madonna', two of Raphael's Cherubim, or Putti, gaze above at the heavens with sweet, innocent expressions, as if to be contemplating in silent wonder the magnificence that surrounds them. It was during the Renaissance period that Angels were often depicted as being young-looking Cherubs, but with an inner sense of knowledge and maturity. One can easily see that the Angel on the right looks up at the Madonna, while the other seems lost in thought. The effect adds to the mesmerizing quality of the whole magnificent painting.