Angels 1627

Guido Reni painted this oil on canvas, called ‘Angels,’ sometime in the 17th century. The image presents a playful and dynamic scene of putti that hints at the complex cultural norms around childhood and innocence in baroque Italy. Reni was a leading figure in the Bolognese School of painting, which sought to revive classical ideals and inject them with dramatic flair. The cherubic figures, with their plump bodies and delicate wings, draw on classical representations of Eros and Cupid, the god of love, but they also embody a Christian ideal of purity and spirituality. The painting was produced at a time when the Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts and was using art to promote its religious and political agenda. Understanding this work fully means diving into sources like period writings on aesthetics and religious doctrine, shedding light on its engagement with the cultural and institutional forces of its time.