Armed with a coat of mail, dagger, shield, and lance, the archangel Michael symbolizes the triumph over evil. The demon at his feet is the Antichrist, cast out of heaven. The youthful beauty and sumptuous raiment of Saint Michael in the rich courtly setting combine with the image of the demon to form a stark visual contrast between the strength and splendor of the Church and the monstrousness of evil defeated.
Credit: The Cloisters Collection, 1955
1450-1500
Tempera and oil on wood
217.2 x 119.4cm
55.120.2
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2023
Where you'll find this
The Met Cloisters
Permanent collection