View source for Famous works of art dedicated to St. Michael

== 3.6 - Famous works of art dedicated to St. Michael ==

=== 3.6.1 - Raphael's Saint Michael ===

==== • Analysis of the painting in the Louvre ====
The painting Saint Michael and the Dragon by Raphael Sanzio, painted around 1505, is kept at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. It is a small work (about 30 x 26 cm), executed in oil on panel. The work depicts the Archangel Michael in the act of defeating the dragon, symbol of evil, with an unsheathed sword, as he decisively tramples him down. The background presents a hellish landscape, with elements recalling the iconography of the Apocalypse and Nordic influences, in particular from artists such as Hieronymus Bosch.  

=== Composition, colours and symbolism ===
The composition is dynamic: the Archangel is depicted in motion, his wings spread and his right leg raised, suggesting imminent action. The colours used by Raphael are intense and contrasting, with the gold of the armour standing out against the dark sky and the infernal landscape. The dragon, with monstrous features, represents evil to be defeated, while the figure of St. Michael embodies divine justice. The work also reflects influences from Flemish painting, evident in the attention to detail and atmospheric rendering.  

=== Reflections on the cultural and spiritual context ===
Created during Raphael's first stay in Florence, the painting reflects the artist's interest in religious themes and his ability to combine Italian and Nordic influences. The work may have been commissioned by Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, as a symbol of protection and justice. The depiction of St. Michael defeating the dragon symbolises the victory of good over evil, a recurring theme in Christian art and particularly felt at a time of political and religious turmoil.  

== Multimedia content ==

=== Images ===
[https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-raffaello-san-michele-e-il-drago-00-132429596.html • St. Michael and the Dragon - Raphael Sanzio (1505)]

[https://www.alamy.com/saint-michael-vanquishing-satan-raffaello-san-michele-e-il-drago-circa-1505-511-raffaello-san-michele-e-il-drago-02-image187954042.html • Detail of the face of St Michael]

[https://www.alamy.com/saint-michael-vanquishing-satan-raffaello-san-michele-e-il-drago-circa-1505-511-raffaello-san-michele-e-il-drago-03-image187954036.html • Detail of the defeated dragon]

=== Recommended videos ===
[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tyHwCXgGRgM&utm_source=chatgpt.com • **The Mission of Michael, the Archangel Guide of Humanity in the light of Rudolf Steiner's teachings**]

A lecture exploring the spiritual role of St Michael and his influence in daily life, with references to devotional objects.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYI8Bc6ofo&utm_source=chatgpt.com • St Michael the Archangel part 1]

A documentary that narrates the apparitions of St Michael on the Gargano, highlighting the tradition of portable objects linked to the cult of the Archangel.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzdwHsdMs28&utm_source=chatgpt.com • The Way of San Michele]

A journey through the sanctuaries dedicated to St. Michael, showing how devotion is also manifested through portable objects and pocket-sized iconographies.

== Sources ==
[https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Michele_e_il_drago Saint Michael and the dragon - WikipediaWikipedia, the free encyclopedia+5Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia+5]

[https://www.arteworld.it/san-michele-e-il-drago-raffaello-sanzio-analisi/ Raphael's Saint Michael and the Dragon: History and Description - Arteworld.itArte World]

[https://www.arte.it/raffaello/loc/san-michele-e-il-drago-2917 Saint Michael and the Dragon - Arte.itArte+1]

== 3.6.2 - The Saint Michael by Guido Reni ==

=== •  Description of the canvas and its iconographic fortune ===
Guido Reni's famous Saint Michael Archangel, painted between 1635 and 1636 for the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini in Rome, is one of the greatest masterpieces of Baroque iconography. The canvas depicts the Archangel in a moment of perfect balance between grace and power: Michael is caught in the moment of triumph over the devil, who lies at his feet twisted and defeated.

The elegance of the shining armour, the fluid dynamism of the blue mantle, the composed and almost impassive attitude of the Archangel make it an ideal example of classical and spiritual beauty.

Guido Reni, inspired by Greco-Roman sculpture and Renaissance painting, creates a figure that transcends time, embodying the Christian ideal of good overcoming evil with majestic serenity.

Since its creation, the work has enjoyed extraordinary fortune. Copies and engravings were made of it that helped spread the iconographic model throughout Europe and the Catholic missionary territories. The figure of St. Michael as conceived by Reni became an obligatory reference point for the representation of the Archangel in subsequent centuries.

=== The ideal of angelic beauty and triumph over the devil ===
Guido Reni's Saint Michael is the sublimation of the angelic ideal: a young man with perfect, almost androgynous features, calm and composed even in the moment of struggle. The absence of tension in his face and posture contrasts with the contorted body of Satan, who screams and struggles under the weight of divine authority.

The contrast between light and darkness is made clear by the chromatic rendering: Michael's light and celestial tones against the bronze and shadowy body of the devil. The Archangel shows no signs of anger or fatigue: it is justice made beautiful, spirituality triumphing without violence.

This interpretation fits perfectly into the climate of the Counter-Reformation, in which sacred art was called upon to instruct, inspire and strengthen faith through edifying images. Michael is therefore here also a moral model for the faithful: the just man who defeats evil with the power of purity and truth.

=== Diffusion of the Image in Later Sacred Art ===
The iconographic impact of Guido Reni's St. Michael was immediate and lasting. The work was copied by painters and engravers throughout Italy and abroad. In the 17th and 18th centuries, versions inspired by Reni's model appeared in churches and cathedrals from Spain to Mexico, from Poland to southern Italy.

In particular, Jesuit missions in Latin America spread reproductions among indigenous communities, where St. Michael became one of the most popular sacred subjects. Even in modern times, the image is used for votive representations, holy cards, stained glass windows and altars, becoming an integral part of popular devotion.

The 'Reni model' even survives in contemporary film and religious media as an iconic symbol of good triumphing over evil. Its influence can also be seen in some contemporary depictions of the Apocalypse and the Last Judgement.

== Recommended media content ==

== Pictures ==
                            • Guido Reni - St. Michael defeating Satan (1636)

? Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, Rome

? View on Wikimedia Commons

                            • Detail of the painting

? View on Wikipedia

                            • 17th-century engraving inspired by Reni's work

? Cultural Heritage Catalogue

Video

                            • ? Guido Reni: the beauty and grace of the Baroque 

<nowiki>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdWhVNhoeyU</nowiki>

                            • ? St Michael, the warrior angel of God 

<nowiki>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMv_hg_i7Ys</nowiki>

? Sources and references

                            • R. Longhi, Guido Reni e la pittura devota, Turin, Einaudi, 1954

                            • M. Fagiolo, Iconography and Devotion of St. Michael in the Baroque Age, in Studi sul Barocco italiano, Rome, 2001

                            • Guido Reni - Works and historical context, Encyclopaedia Treccani, www.treccani.it

                            • Capuchin Museum, Rome - Baroque Art Section

                            • Wikimedia Commons - Public image and canvas documentation

                            • TV2000 - Series 'Saints in Art History

                            • Europeana - Digital Archive of European Cultural Heritage

                        3.6.3 - Michelangelo's Last Judgement (Sistine Chapel)

                            • ?? The Archangel's position in the eschatological scene

In the grandiose Last Judgement fresco (1536-1541) painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, the Archangel Michael occupies a central position in the Christian eschatological narrative.

Located just below the figure of Christ the Judge, Saint Michael is depicted as the angel of judgement and divine justice: he wears a breastplate and holds the scales of souls, symbol of psychostasy, and a sword, symbol of divine executive power. His figure stands solemnly between the saved and the damned, in a composition that emphasises his role as an intermediary between mercy and eternal condemnation.

Michelangelo, following the Christian and patristic tradition, assigns Michael the task of guide in the hour of final judgement, representing him with a powerful but restrained dynamism, indicating the absolute seriousness of the function he performs.

?? Iconography of judgement and psychostasy

The iconography of psychostasy (the weighing of souls) has a long tradition in Christian art, but Michelangelo reinterprets it in a dramatic and monumental key. Saint Michael is here the weigher and guardian of the divine order, the one who oversees the passage of souls from time to eternity.

In contrast to the more narrative medieval representations, the Sistine fresco concentrates the scene in a single, explosive moment: souls ascend or fall without a break, while Michael imposes himself as a balancing point in the turbulence of the Judgement.

In this theological and artistic vision, the scales do not visibly hang from a hand, but rest firmly in its grip: justice is exercised, not delegated. The Archangel thus becomes the visible guarantor of the mystery of salvation and condemnation.

?? Symbology of the raised arm and the sword

One of the most striking elements of the depiction is the position of St Michael's raised arm, holding the sword, ready to be brandished. This gesture symbolises not violence, but the power of God's word and will that judges irrevocably.

The sword is directed downwards, towards the damned: a clear sign of the separation between light and darkness, between grace and rejection. The outstretched arm also represents the active verb of divine judgement, which is accomplished instantaneously in the presence of the glorified Christ.

In this gesture, angelic strength, eschatological authority and fidelity to the divine mission are united. Saint Michael is here not only a warrior, but an executor of the transcendent will, a symbol of a superior order that imposes itself beyond history.

? Recommended multimedia content

?? Images

                            • Detail of the fresco - Michelangelo's Last Judgement

? View on Wikipedia

                            • Restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes

? More on Wikipedia

? Video

                            • "Life of Michelangelo - The Judgement" (RaiPlay, 2018)

?? Watch on RaiPlay

                            • "Everyday Iconologies: Michelangelo, Last Judgement" (RaiPlay, 2022)

?? Watch on RaiPlay

                            • "At the end of time. Michelangelo, the Last Judgement and..."

?? Watch on YouTube

                            • "Monday's work: Michelangelo, the Last Judgement".

?? Watch on YouTube

? Articles and insights

                            • "A few centimetres from Beauty" - Vatican News

? Read the article

                            • "Discovering the virtual Sistine world" - L'Osservatore Romano

? Read the article

? Sources and references

                            • C. Pietrangeli, Michelangelo: The Last Judgement, Electa, Milan, 1996

                            • H. Hibbard, Michelangelo, Rizzoli, Milan, 1989

                            • Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 678-682 (The Last Judgement)

                            • Vatican Museums - Sistine Chapel Section

                            • Vatican News - Special "Restoration of the Last Judgement

                            • Wikimedia Commons - Public domain images

                            • Vatican Media - Official documentaries

                            • Rai Cultura - Dossier on Michelangelo and the Apocalypse

                        3.6.4 - St. Michael in Renaissance altarpieces

                            • ? Famous examples: Perugino, Dosso Dossi, Beato Angelico

In the Renaissance, the Archangel Michael was depicted in numerous altarpieces, including:

                            • Pietro Perugino: In the Vallombrosa Altarpiece, Saint Michael is depicted with elegance and harmony, distinctive characteristics of Perugino's style.

                            • Dosso Dossi: In the Madonna and Child between Saints George and Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael is depicted with a dynamic pose and vivid colours typical of the Ferrara Renaissance. 

                            • Fra Angelico: In the Fiesole Altarpiece, St. Michael appears next to the Virgin and other saints, with a serene and contemplative expression, reflecting the spirituality of the time.  

? The liturgical role of shovels and public devotion

Renaissance altarpieces played a central role in liturgy and public devotion. Placed above the altar, they served as a focal point during religious celebrations, helping the faithful to meditate on the mysteries of faith. Saint Michael, often depicted in these works, symbolised the struggle between good and evil, offering devotees a model of virtue and courage.

? Iconographic refinement and spiritual functions

The representations of St Michael in Renaissance altarpieces are characterised by an iconographic refinement that combines classical and Christian elements. The Archangel is often depicted with armour, sword and scales, symbols of divine justice and the fight against evil. These images not only decorated churches, but also served to instruct and inspire the faithful, strengthening their faith and devotion.

? Recommended multimedia content

?? Images

                            • Pietro Perugino - Vallombrosa Altarpiece

? Academy Gallery, Florence

? View on Wikipedia

                            • Dosso Dossi - Madonna and Child between Saints George and Michael Archangel

? Galleria Estense, Modena

? Madonna and Child between Saints George and Michael Archangel - Cultural Goods Catalogue

                            • Fra Angelico - Fiesole Altarpiece

? San Marco Museum, Florence

? View on Wikipedia

? Sources and references

                            • Wikipedia - Pala di Vallombrosa

                            • Wikipedia - Madonna and Child between Saints George and Michael Archangel

                            • Wikipedia - Pala di Fiesole

                        3.6.5 - Monumental sculptures of St Michael

                            • ?? The San Michele on the Castel Sant'Angelo (Rome)

At the top of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome stands the famous bronze statue of St Michael the Archangel, created between 1747 and 1752 by the Flemish sculptor Peter Anton von Verschaffelt. The work depicts the Archangel in the act of sheathing his sword, a gesture that symbolises the end of the plague that struck Rome in 590 AD. According to tradition, Pope Gregory the Great had a vision in which St Michael appeared above Hadrian's mausoleum, announcing the end of the epidemic.

The current statue is the sixth version placed on the castle and is an iconic landmark in the Roman cityscape, visible from various points in the city. Its presence symbolises divine protection over Rome and the victory of good over evil.

? Gothic and Baroque sculptures in European cathedrals

Numerous European cathedrals host monumental sculptures dedicated to St Michael, evidence of the spread of the Michaelic cult:

                            • Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels: originally dedicated to St. Michael, it has Gothic elements that attest to its importance in the cult of the Archangel.  

                            • St Michael's Cathedral in Carcassonne: located in the French medieval city, it is a significant example of Gothic architecture dedicated to the Archangel.  

                            • Museo Civico Medievale di Bologna: it houses a bronze statue of St Michael Archangel made by Alessandro Algardi around 1647, an example of Baroque sculpture depicting the Archangel in the act of defeating the devil.  

?? Urban and architectural symbolism

Monumental sculptures of St Michael are not only works of art, but also symbols of protection and spiritual guidance in European cities. Their placement at strategic points, such as the top of buildings or the entrance to cathedrals, represents the Archangel's vigilance against the forces of evil.

An emblematic example is the Sacra di San Michele in Piedmont, located on the summit of Mount Pirchiriano. This architectural complex, perched at the entrance to the Susa Valley, is part of the so-called 'Linea Sacra di San Michele', an alignment of seven sanctuaries dedicated to the Archangel stretching from Ireland to Israel.  

? Recommended media content Pictures

                            • Statue of St. Michael on Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome

? View on Alamy

                            • Statue of St Michael in Brussels Cathedral

? View on Alamy

                            • St Michael's Cathedral in Carcassonne

? View on Alamy

                            • Interior of the Museo Civico Medievale in Bologna

? View on Bologna Welcome

                            • Sacra di San Michele, Piedmont

? View on Filiamovia

Video

                            • Castel Sant'Angelo - Rome

? Watch on YouTube

                            • Rome's layered history: the Castel Sant'Angelo

? Watch on YouTube

                            • Castel Sant'Angelo visited by Philippe Daverio

? Watch on YouTube

? Sources and references

                            • Statue of St Michael on Castel Sant'Angelo - castelsantangeloroma.it

                            • Brussels Cathedral - scopribruxelles.com

                            • St Michael's Cathedral in Carcassonne - worldcitytrail.com

                            • Saint Michael Archangel by Alessandro Algardi - baroqueart.museumwnf.org

                            • Sacra di San Michele - Wikipedia

                            • Sacra di San Michele line - geopop.it

                            • General Catalogue of Cultural Goods - Statue of St Michael Archangel

                            • Alamy - Statue of St. Michael on Castel Sant'Angelo

                            • Bologna Welcome - Medieval Civic Museum

                            • Filiamovia - Sacra di San Michele

                        3.6.6 - St Michael in Flemish and Nordic Art

                            • ? Hans Memling, Van Eyck, Bosch: Dramatic Reinterpretations

Flemish and Nordic art of the 15th and 16th centuries offered intense and dramatic interpretations of the figure of St. Michael the Archangel, especially in the scenes of the Last Judgement.

                            • Hans Memling, in his Triptych of the Last Judgement (1467-1473), depicts St. Michael in the centre of the main panel, weighing souls with scales, separating the blessed from the damned. The work, commissioned by the Florentine banker Angelo Tani, is now in the National Museum in Gda?sk . 

                            • Jan van Eyck, in the Diptych of the Crucifixion and Last Judgement (1430-1440), presents a detailed vision of the Judgement, with St Michael separating the righteous from the wicked, in a seascape where the dead rise from their graves.

                            • Hieronymus Bosch, in his Last Judgement (1506-1508), offers a visionary and symbolic representation, with St. Michael weighing souls among hybrid creatures and hellish landscapes. The fragment of the work is kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich .

? Theological approach and attention to detail

Flemish and Nordic artists are distinguished by their accuracy of detail and theological insight in their works. St Michael is often depicted with richly decorated armour, symbols of divine justice and instruments of judgement, such as the scales and the sword. The scenes of the

Last Judgement are loaded with symbolism, with scriptural and iconographic references reflecting the religious beliefs of the time.

?? The Archangel in the Judgement and weighing scene

St Michael is frequently depicted in the act of weighing souls, determining the eternal fate of people. This representation emphasises his role as judge and defender of divine justice. Scales often show a soul on one side and a devil or a symbolic weight on the other, highlighting the struggle between good and evil.

? Recommended media content Pictures

                            • 1. Hans Memling - Triptych of the Last Judgement (Gda?sk Triptych)

? Wikipedia, the free encyclopaediaYouTube+14Bridgeman Images+14ADO the work+14Analysis of 

                            • High-resolution image of the central panel:

? Wikipedia, ,the free encyclopaediaWikipedia the free encyclopaedia

    2. Jan van Eyck - St. Michael and a Donor (Dresden Triptych)

? Wikipedia, the free encyclopaediaBridgeman Images+1FeelTheArt©+1

        ? Image of the side panel with St Michael:

? Pinterest

    3. Hieronymus Bosch - Last Judgement (1506-1508)

        ? Detail of the work on Bridgeman Images:

? Bridgeman Images

        ? Artistic print of the work:

? MeisterDrucke

? Video

    1. Hans Memling - Triptych of the Last Judgement

    • Animation exploring the history of opera:

? YouTube

    • Detailed documentary on the work:

? YouTube

    2. Jan van Eyck - Crucifixion and Last Judgement (Diptych)

    • In-depth analysis of the diptych:

? YouTube

    • High-definition video of the work:

? YouTube

    3. Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights

    • Complete documentary on the work:

? YouTube

    • Analysis of the symbolism present in the work:

? YouTube

? Sources and references

    • Hans Memling - Wikipedia

    • Gdansk triptych - Wikipedia

    • Jan van Eyck - Wikipedia

    • Hieronymus Bosch - Wikipedia

    • Last Judgement (Bosch Munich) - Wikipedia

                        3.6.7 - Modern and Contemporary Works

                            • ? Representations of the 20th-21st centuries (Chagall, Dalí)

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the figure of St Michael the Archangel has been reinterpreted by artists such as

Marc Chagall and Salvador Dalí, who offered new symbolic and spiritual perspectives.

                            • Marc Chagall integrated biblical and spiritual themes into his works, using vivid colours and dreamlike compositions. Although he has no direct representation of St. Michael, his art reflects the struggle between good and evil, themes central to the figure of the Archangel.

                            • Salvador Dalí, in his 'nuclear mysticism' phase, explored religious themes through a surrealist lens. Works such as Christ of St. John of the Cross (1951) and Corpus Hypercubus (1954) show an interest in spirituality and transcendence, elements associated with the figure of St. Michael.

? Symbolic and spiritual reworkings

Modern and contemporary art has often used the figure of St Michael as a symbol of justice, protection and the fight against evil. Contemporary artists have reinterpreted the Archangel in a symbolic way, addressing themes such as spirituality, social justice and resistance against injustice.

?? The Archangel between spirituality and denouncing evil

Saint Michael continues to be an emblematic figure in contemporary culture, representing the struggle between good and evil. His image is used in various artistic contexts to express the need for justice, protection and resistance against negative forces.

? Recommended media content Pictures

                            • 1. Marc Chagall - Ceiling of the Opéra Garnier (1964)

High-resolution visualisation on Google Arts & Culture:

? Marc Chagall's Ceiling for the Paris Opéra

                            • Detailed information on the project:

? Pariscityvision - Chagall's frescoes on the ceiling of the Opéra Garnier

2. Salvador Dalí - Christ of St. John of the Cross (1951)

? Christ of St. John of the Cross - Wikipedia

    • Description and details of the work:

? Arthive - Christ of St John of the CrossLog in or sign up to view+3Tourism Rome+3The Young Bible+3

? Video

    1. Marc Chagall - Ceiling of the Opéra Garnier

        ? Documentary on the making of the ceiling:

? Marc Chagall's Ceiling for the Paris Opera - YouTube

        ? Overview of the ceiling of the Opéra Garnier:

? Chagall ceiling. Opera Garnier - YouTube

    2. Salvador Dalí - Christ of St. John of the Cross

        ? Analysis of the work and its significance:

? Salvador Dali: Great Art Explained - YouTube

        ? Exploration of Dalí's Surrealist world:

? Salvador Dalí| The Surreal World of Dreams - YouTube

        ? ?

? Sources and references

        ? Marc Chagall - Wikipedia

        ? Salvador Dalí - Wikipedia

        ? Marc Chagall's Ceiling for the Paris Opera - YouTube