[thackney]

What were they leaning on?

The bottom frame of the painting?

[Hoffer Rand]

The images are from the bottom portion of a larger painting that is an altar piece called The Sistine Madonna that is placed over the tomb of Pope Julius II. The “cherubs” (the correct word is puti, one putu, two puti) are painted as leaning on the top of Julius’ coffin. Kind of ruins the whole cherubic image, doesn’t it?