POSTED: Two Chubby Children with Sweet faces, are needed to model for a painting
Meet me at the SISTINE CHAPEL…Contact RAPHAEL.
The painter, in his heavy linen stained smock, was very busy painting a woman holding a child. It wasn't an easy task, the baby kept wiggling and the woman was cold from being wet upon. Though the image he was capturing only showed serenity and joy. Standing back with his chin in his hand, he looked at the painting he was pleased with the progress.
"Okay, I'm ready, send in the children," Raphael commanded. The model portraying the Madonna asked if she could go change. Preoccupied, Raphael waved her on as he smiled to himself at an idea he had. Imagine, he was going to paint cherubs who weren't floating in the clouds. Rather they would appear to be touching the ground. Angels on earth. When the children appeared he asked them to lean against the ledge.
"Okay, that's it, perfect now, if you two could just look up no, no, just with your eyes yes, yes, that's it. Hold that pose."
Several hundred years later:
"How much longer do you think we have to hold this pose? The two little cherubs complained to each other, though not moving an inch.
Over the centuries, how many copies of these two-chubby-sweet-faced children, do you think there are? These two angelots, with their plump little bodies, and upward regard are recognizable to most of us.
This lithograph is dated 1876, a drawing by Ch. Bellay, which he copied from the painting of Raphaël, 1512-1513. The painting was thought to be commanded by Pope Jules II, elected in 1503.
The two cherubs look up towards the sky, in a dream-like fashion at, The Madonna, in the Sistine Chapel, who is above them holding the Christ-child.
What is it that has caught our imagination with these two? They have been around for centuries, and certainly, will continue on, after we have gone.
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