Little angels

I was doing some Google research on cherubs for the Four Seasons panels, and came across this image. I thought it was worth putting up in it's own right - a little stroke of genius, seeing the potential, don't you think?

Cherubs seem to have been around for a very long time, but not always in the form of the chubby little babies who delight in getting mischievously involved in human loves, celebrations and conflicts - I think they started out as God's little helpers but, being children, could not help but play at every opportunity when sent down here.

There is a famous Florentine ceiling painting in which one male cherub can be spotted standing on a wall and pissing down onto the human guests in the ballroom below, as the others dance and throw flowers about.

All those cute kids dressed up in flower garlands, holding up the bride's train at expensive weddings are cherubs - or as near as us mortals can get to them. Being pre-pubescent innocents, cherubs can get away with all sorts of naughtiness. Imagine punishing a cherub - unthinkable. Never smack children.