[sampo]

> What was the theological and philosophical significance they were supposed to communicate?

I don't know, but I can think of an analogy: If angels were commonly depicted as cheerful and a bit silly characters in cartoons, perhaps religious people would have the same complaint.

[gaius]

Or how geeks perceive of the way movies depict computers and the people associated with them.

By the way movies do get angels wrong, they are described in the Bible as having 6 wings for example. No Christians that I know are angry about that.

[JorgeGT]

> they are described in the Bible as having 6 wings for example.

No, a particular high order of angels (Seraphims) have six wings. Your run-of-the-mill, proletarian angels have two wings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_angelology?oldformat...

[wsgeorge]

> No Christians that I know are angry about that.

They will only be angry if they found those depictions disrespectful/mocking. Perhaps a few will like to point out the inaccuracy.

But most Western art has depicted angels with only two wings: even art by the most devout Christians.

And, iirc, it is a specific type of angel that had six wings (covered with eyes, etc...)