Fall of the Rebel Angels

In its complexity and astonishing display of technical skill, this ivory recalls the taste of the Mannerist period in the 16th century, but its lightness and virtuosity are also characteristic of the Rococo. At the top, the artist has represented the Holy Trinity, with God the Father, Christ the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. At the center, Saint Michael brandishes his sword, and a team of archangels drives Satan's host from Heaven. As described in the Book of Revelation (12:7-9), the rebel angels plummet towards Hell below, symbolized by the monster with gaping mouth in the lower right.

Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust through the George H. and Elizabeth O. Davis Fund