Cherubijnen in de wolken 1731 - 1779

Jan Punt created this drawing, "Cherubs in the Clouds," in the 18th century using pen and gray ink. The religious context of the time saw the proliferation of cherubic figures in art, often representing innocence and divine presence. But let's think about the cherub as a social construct. Here we see a cluster of fair-skinned, plump-cheeked children, their gazes directed upwards. Who gets to be an angel, and what does that signify? Consider how these images might exclude or idealize certain racial and social identities, reinforcing a visual hierarchy. Whose stories don't get told when we look at these faces? These cherubs, floating in their heavenly realm, prompt us to think about earthly power. In a time of stark social inequality, these idealized figures offered a vision of harmony, perhaps obscuring the struggles of everyday life. How do such images function within the larger narratives of power, religion, and identity?