Cherubs have held a mystical fascination throughout time. One of the most famous cherubs is Cupid, who was the Roman God of Love. He was also known as Amor and in Greek Mythology he was known as Eros. There are many different stories of Cupid. To some he is the Son of Venus, the Goddess of Love and Mars the God of War. To others he is the son of Mercury and Aphrodite. He is sometimes depicted as been hatched from a silver egg. It is therefore not surprising that Cupid or his messengers are often incorporated into the design of many silver items.
Cupid is renowned for carrying his bows and arrows, and those who are hit by the arrows are forseen to fall in love with the next person they see. The Romans and the Greeks often had conflicting ideas about him. It was the Romans who knew him as Cupid and regarded him as a symbol of life after death whereas the Greeks were aware of his beauty .
To some cherubs are often known as descendents of Cupid but they are also an important feature in the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible.
In art, Cherubs are often confused with Putti. These are innocents which look like winged children and were famous in both Italian Renaissance Art and Rococo Art.