Renaissance Winged Cherub - Florence,15th Century

Renaissance Winged Cherub Relief
Florence, Second Half of the 15th Century
Stone with traces of polychromy

Provenance: Important private collection, Northern Italy

This exceptional Renaissance relief represents the head of a winged cherub in profile. With wide, outlined eyes and a slightly parted mouth, the cherub’s expression exudes an almost ecstatic emotion, capturing the divine joy of a celestial being in the presence of God.
The decorative exuberance of the work is reflected in the intricate detailing of the cherub's features. The four wings, elegantly spread in perspective, frame the cherub’s face, drawing attention to the full cheeks and the delicate modeling of the facial features. The dynamic interplay of depth and movement, achieved through masterful relief carving, lends the composition an ethereal lightness and grace.
Although the exact architectural context and purpose of the relief may never be fully determined, the profile view suggests that it was likely part of a frieze, possibly surrounding a central composition.
The artist’s technical prowess is evident throughout, demonstrating a deep understanding of the refined elegance characteristic of Tuscan workshops. The pronounced relief of the wings in the foreground, nearly detached from the background, is a hallmark of Florentine Renaissance sculpture. This contrasts with the more subtly modeled wings in the background, emphasizing the cherub’s serene face. The artist’s skillful treatment of details, such as the masterfully rendered ear, the plump cheeks, and the fluid arrangement of the wings encircling the face, showcases the refinement of early Renaissance Florentine style.
The sculptural technique, particularly in the carving of the eyes, the soft arch of the eyebrows, and the precise modeling of the ear, suggests the hand of an artist with exceptional technical ability. These features reflect the polished style of Renaissance sculptors working in Florence in the 15th century, including masters like Desiderio da Settignano and Antonio Rossellino. The rounded face with delicate features, the finely carved hair, and the wings are reminiscent of the later circular reliefs found in the Cappella dei Pazzi, which Cardellini (1962) attributed to Settignano. The cherub's rounded cheeks, finely etched hair, and soft facial features echo the refined aesthetic seen in Settignano’s works.
The resemblance to other Florentine masters is striking. The facial type—wide-set eyes, a high forehead, and a rounded yet slightly oval face—bears a strong similarity to the figures in Rosselli’s works, notably the reliefs of the Annunciated Angel and the Virgin (c. 1460-61) at San Petronio Basilica in Bologna, where similar facial features and proportions are evident. These same expressive faces also appear in the decoration of the Sala degli Angeli in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino, and in a stone relief by Rossellino now housed in the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts.
Another notable comparison can be drawn with the winged cherubs in Andrea Della Robbia’s Madonna and Child with Saints Stephen and Lawrence (1489) in Prato, further solidifying the ties to the Florentine tradition.
Rooted firmly in the illustrious Florentine Renaissance, this relief exemplifies the aesthetic ideals of the early Renaissance. The artist’s meticulous attention to the cherub's features and the refinement of the composition suggest an intimate familiarity with the sculptural traditions and artistic ideals of Florence during this period.
This elegantly crafted relief stands as a quintessential example of Renaissance Italian art, offering insight into the spiritual and artistic sensibilities of 15th-century Florence.