The Modern Renaissance of Raphael’s Sistine Madonna

Iconography and iconology, or icons and symbols and what they mean, are methods rooted in the field of art history. Cherub iconography has long been used in religious pictures, such as in the Sistine Madonna, but its place in the fashion world has a history of its own. On clothing, icons gain new meanings based on their usage and association. For Raphael’s Sistine Madonna, the pair of cherubs seen resting at the bottom were first adopted as the logo for the Italian brand Fiorucci in the 1970s. In 2018, the cherub decorated sweatshirts and hats as the logo for Boys Lie. For both companies, the usage of symbolism from a 16th century painting demonstrates a modern renaissance. 

Elio Fiorucci, who propelled onto the American fashion scene and became known for disco-attire, frequented Manhattan’s Studio 54 and socialized with pop artist Andy Warhol. Warhol, who famously bridged gaps between “high art,” mostly paintings that were shown in spaces inaccessible to the general public, and aspects of everyday life, likely influenced Fiorucci’s style and design. Perhaps Fiorucci had a similar idea of bringing a piece of culture that was inaccessible to the masses, to the masses. As a logo, the pair of cherubs was taken out of its religious context and given a new life. Emblazoning an element of fine art, a piece done by one of the greatest artists to have ever lived, onto everyday wear was a merger of two separate worlds. It was something that hadn’t been done before. 

Today, the cherub is seen as the logo for the company Boys Lie. The logo differs from that of Fiorucci, as it is a horned figure wearing a blindfold. Its eyes are not closed, but covered, showing the cherub’s ignorance to its own influence and adding to the icon’s meaning. The adaptations and subsequent commodification of Raphael’s cherubs show a trail of iconography over hundreds of years. The scaffolding involved in iconology extends the life of the icon or symbol and, in this case, exemplifies the permanence of Raphael’s work within the transience of trend. Let’s hope he isn’t rolling over in his grave.