Spanish school; late 18th - early 19th century. "Saint Michael the Archangel". Oil on canvas....

Spanish school; late 18th - early 19th century. "Saint Michael the Archangel". Oil on canvas. It presents a slight tear located in the left margin. Measurements: 63 x 37 cm; 80 x 54 cm (frame).

Spanish school; late 18th - early 19th century.
"Saint Michael the Archangel".
Oil on canvas.
It presents a slight tear located in the left margin.
Measurements: 63 x 37 cm; 80 x 54 cm (frame).
In this canvas we see the glorious representation of St. Michael, breaking with the usual iconography, due to the fact that in this painting in particular the presence of the devil is not appreciated. St. Michael stands in the centre of the composition, standing on clouds that give way to the break of glory that forms the background. The archangel is depicted holding a crown in his left hand and a sword in his right, which is suspended above a woman holding the palm of martyrdom. The scene is completed with several little lovers, two of them holding a tower in their hands, and a border in the lower part of the composition showing an urban centre. The composition is dynamic and scenographic, and follows a very common Baroque model, with the saint, full-length, occupying most of the pictorial surface. However, the technique defined by broad, free brushstrokes, together with the use of a colour palette of pastel tones, indicates that this is a work from a later period. It is close to the school that emerged in Madrid at the end of the 18th century. A notable feature of this piece is the artist's use of a low perspective, a feature which indicates that this piece was most probably intended to occupy a high place.
According to tradition, Saint Michael is the head of the heavenly militia and defender of the Church. It is precisely for this reason that he fights against the rebellious angels and the dragon of the Apocalypse. He is also a psychopomp, i.e. he leads the dead and weighs the souls on the Day of Judgement. Scholars have linked his cult to that of several ancient gods: Anubis in Egyptian mythology, Hermes and Mercury in classical mythology, and Wotan in Norse mythology. In the West, the cult of St Michael began to develop from the 5th and 6th centuries onwards, first in Italy and France, then spreading to Germany and the rest of Christendom. The churches and chapels dedicated to him are innumerable around the year 1000, in connection with the belief that the Apocalypse would arrive on that date. His temples are often located on high places, as he is a celestial saint. He was particularly venerated by the kings of France from the 14th century onwards, and the Counter-Reformation made him the head of the church against Protestant heresy, giving a new impetus to his cult. Saint Michael the Archangel is a military saint, and therefore patron saint of knights and of all trades related to arms, as well as to the scales, due to his role as apocalyptic judge. His iconography is of considerable richness, but relatively stable. He is generally depicted in the attire of a soldier or knight, holding a spear or sword and a shield, usually decorated with a cross, although here he bears the legend "QVDOS". When he fights the dragon, he fights on foot or in the air, which distinguishes him from Saint George, who is almost always on horseback. However, the main difference between the two saints is St Michael's wings.