“War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.”
(Revelation 12:7-9)
Three great or "arch" angels are celebrated on September 29th: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. But this is only in recent decades. Prior to 1964 the day belonged to Michael alone.
Of the three archangels named in the Bible Michael is the one who has had the least contact with human beings. Where Gabriel and Raphael have acted in human history as divine messengers or healers, Michael has appeared only to visionaries, to the authors of the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.
His appearance is one of great power, terrifying even. He is the leader of the heavenly armies, the victor over the dragon, symbol of Satan and evil. He is the defender of Israel and, by extension, of Christianity. He is the angel who weighs the souls of the deceased in his finely balanced scales.
Even his name, Mich-a-el, portrays his character. Its translation is ‘who is like God?’. It is a question and a challenge. It is the rallying cry of the angelic host in their battle with the rebel angels. It is also a rebuke to Satan's lie to Adam and Eve in Eden “You will be like gods” (Genesis 3:5). Expressed in Latin as “Quis ut Deus?” it is sometimes shown on Michael's armor or on his shield.
In spite of his elusiveness, his terrible presence, his aura of mystery, Michael has left his footprint on virtually the whole map of Europe from Skellig Michael in Ireland at the western edge of Europe to St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, Mont St. Michel in Normandy, to Boulevard St. Michel in Paris to Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome.
He is a patron of the military and of police. Indeed, it is Michael who is the angelic patron of the NYPD officers killed on September 11, 2001.
He is also a patron of both France and Germany. And, in the past, his feast of September 29th was known as Michaelmas. Once upon a time it was a holy day of obligation.1
In the secular world to it was an extremely important day, as for instance, in the English calendar. One of the English ‘quarter days’, it was the day on which rents used to be due, court terms began and universities opened their academic year.
In art, Michael is primarily represented in three ways: as a member of the heavenly court, as the leader of the armies of Heaven and as the weigher of souls. Sometimes the types overlap. Although these three are the main iconographic types of the images of St. Michael, there are several others. Among these are: St. Michael as patron of France and Michael as Worshiper.
Predominantly a theme of the earlier years, in which parts of Western Europe still looked to Byzantium, this theme of Michael as courtier mostly disappeared during the Middle Ages in the West and reappeared at the beginning of the Renaissance. His satanic adversary appears only as a kind of attribute in these images. In these pictures, Michael is as likely to wear his armor, or at least parts of it, as he is to wear courtier's robes.
This theme seems to have been especially prominent in the decades just before and after the year 1500 in both Italy and the North.
His role as warrior is sometimes combined with his role in the heavenly court.
Predominantly a theme of the Western Church, Michael appears most frequently as the armed warrior, clad in armor.
Sometimes he is simply seen as the soldier, not involved in combat or shown in repose after his battle.
But, he is most often seen in the act of combat against the dragon (symbol of Satan) or against a demon (again symbolic of Satan). These images fall into two types. The first, and earlier of the two, is that of single combat between Michael and his adversary.
Two of the most famous images of this single combat type are two paintings by Raphael (himself named after another of the archangels) done fifteen years apart.
The second Raphael painting is such a perfect representation of the battle that it became the model for many other pictures.
“At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since the nation began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
Many of those who sleep
in the dust of the earth shall awake;
Some to everlasting life,
others to reproach and everlasting disgrace. “
(Daniel 12:1-2)
It is through his position of warrior and defender of heaven that Michael is the angel who examines the souls of the dead, weighing them in balance scales to determine their ultimate destination. This action is usually, although not always, shown as taking place in the context of the Last Judgment.
Two additional groups of images of St. Michael stand out. These are:
For me, this magnificent angel has a personal side. September 29th is my birthday. And, had I been a boy, I would have been named Michael in his honor and in memory of my mother’s baby brother who died at age 2. As it was, I was named, Margaret, in honor of both my grandmothers. However, I have not forgotten Michael; he is one of my own patrons and the source of my confirmation name of Michelle.
We would do well to honor Michael with the prayer that used to be recited by everyone at the end of every Mass:
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
© M. Duffy, 2011. 2016
______________________________________________________
1. "St. Michael the Archangel." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 26 Sept. 2016
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10275b.htm>.
 |
Hubert Gerhard, St. Michael Overcoming the Devil,
German, 1588
Munich, Church of St. Michael
|
“War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.”
(Revelation 12:7-9)
Three great or "arch" angels are celebrated on September 29th: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. But this is only in recent decades. Prior to 1964 the day belonged to Michael alone.
Of the three archangels named in the Bible Michael is the one who has had the least contact with human beings. Where Gabriel and Raphael have acted in human history as divine messengers or healers, Michael has appeared only to visionaries, to the authors of the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.
 |
| Andrea della Robbia, St. Michael Italian, c.1475 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
 |
St. Michael,
German, 18th century
Bonn, University
|
Even his name, Mich-a-el, portrays his character. Its translation is ‘who is like God?’. It is a question and a challenge. It is the rallying cry of the angelic host in their battle with the rebel angels. It is also a rebuke to Satan's lie to Adam and Eve in Eden “You will be like gods” (Genesis 3:5). Expressed in Latin as “Quis ut Deus?” it is sometimes shown on Michael's armor or on his shield.
In spite of his elusiveness, his terrible presence, his aura of mystery, Michael has left his footprint on virtually the whole map of Europe from Skellig Michael in Ireland at the western edge of Europe to St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, Mont St. Michel in Normandy, to Boulevard St. Michel in Paris to Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome.
 |
| New York Police Department Memorial Poster |
He is a patron of the military and of police. Indeed, it is Michael who is the angelic patron of the NYPD officers killed on September 11, 2001.
He is also a patron of both France and Germany. And, in the past, his feast of September 29th was known as Michaelmas. Once upon a time it was a holy day of obligation.1
In the secular world to it was an extremely important day, as for instance, in the English calendar. One of the English ‘quarter days’, it was the day on which rents used to be due, court terms began and universities opened their academic year.
In art, Michael is primarily represented in three ways: as a member of the heavenly court, as the leader of the armies of Heaven and as the weigher of souls. Sometimes the types overlap. Although these three are the main iconographic types of the images of St. Michael, there are several others. Among these are: St. Michael as patron of France and Michael as Worshiper.
Michael as a Member of the Heavenly Court
In Byzantine art, and later in the art of Eastern Christianity, Michael often appears in the dress of a member of the court of heaven, dressed as one would have been for the Imperial Byzantine court. |
| Saint Michael the Archangel Bzyantine (Constantinople), c. 525-550 London, British Museum |
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| St. John Chryostom, Emperor Nicophorus III and St. Michael from Homilies of St. John Chrysostom Byzantine (Constantinople), 1074-1078 or 1078-1081 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Coislin 79, fol. 2v |
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| Saint Michael the Archangel from Pala d'Oro altarpiece Byzantine (Constantinople), 1105 Venice, Basilica of San Marco |
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| Madonna and Child with Saints Michael and Gabriel Byzantine (Sicilian), 1180s Monreale, Cathedral, Main Apse |
Predominantly a theme of the earlier years, in which parts of Western Europe still looked to Byzantium, this theme of Michael as courtier mostly disappeared during the Middle Ages in the West and reappeared at the beginning of the Renaissance. His satanic adversary appears only as a kind of attribute in these images. In these pictures, Michael is as likely to wear his armor, or at least parts of it, as he is to wear courtier's robes.
 |
| Guido Bigarelli, Saint Michael Italian, 13th century Pistoia, San Michele in Cioncio |
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| Luca di Tomme, St. Michael Italian, c.1360 Amiens, Musee de Picardie |
This theme seems to have been especially prominent in the decades just before and after the year 1500 in both Italy and the North.
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| Lorenzo da Viterbo, Madonna and Child with St. Peter and St. Michael Italian, 1472 Rome, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica |
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| Master of the Legend of St. Ursula Madonna and Child with a Donor Presented by St. Michael Flemish, c.1480-1490 Private Collection |
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| Botticelli, Madonna and Child with Angels and Saints (Pala di San Barnaba) Italian, c.1488 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
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| Domenico Ghirlandaio, Madonna and Child in Glory with Saints Italian, 1490-1496 Munich, Alte Pinakothek |
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| Jean Hey, Saint Michael and the King of France from Statuts de L'Ordre de Saint Michel French (Moulins), 1493-1494 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 14363, fol. 3 |
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| Luca Signorelli. Assumption of the Virgin with Saints Michael and Benedict Italian, c.1493-1496 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Andrea Mantegna, Virgin of Victory Italian, 1495-1496 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Perugino, Madonna and Child in Glory with Saints Italian, 1495-1496 Bologna, Pinacoteca Nazionale |
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| Innocenzo da Imola, St. Bernard Presented to the Madonna and Child by St. Michael Italian, c.1500-1550 Chambery, Musee des Beaux-Arts |
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| Garofalo, Madonna and Child with Saints Italian, 1530-1532 Rome, Galleria Borghese |
His role as warrior is sometimes combined with his role in the heavenly court.
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| St. Michael subduing the dragon French, c.1425-1550 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Cimabue, Michael from Madonna and Child Enthroned with St. Francis and Four Angels (Detail) Italian, 1278-1280 Assisi, Church of San Francesco, Lower Church |
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| St. Catherine and St. Michael from Life of St. Catherine Dutch (s-Hertogenbosch), 1475-1500 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Neerlandais 129, fol. 1 |
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| Hans Memling, St. Michael Flemish, c. 1479 London, Wallace Collection |
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| Master of the Legend of St. Ursula St. Michael with a Donor Flemish, 1480-1490 Bruges, Museum Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Potterie |
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| Saints George, Michael and John the Baptist German (Upper Rhine), c.1500-1525 Boston, Museum of Fine Arts |
Michael as Warrior and as General of the Heavenly Armies
Predominantly a theme of the Western Church, Michael appears most frequently as the armed warrior, clad in armor.
Sometimes he is simply seen as the soldier, not involved in combat or shown in repose after his battle.
 |
Saint Michael the Archangel
Byzantine (Constantinople), 1086
Venice, Basilica of San Marco, Treasury
|
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| Vincenzo Foppa, St. Michael Italian, 1460 St. Petersburg, Hermitage Museum |
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| Piero della Francesca, St. Michael Italian, 1469 London, National Gallery |
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| Perugino, St. Michael Italian, c.1499 London, National Gallery |
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| Jean Bourdichon, St. Michael from Grandes heures d'Anne de Bretagne French (Tours), c.1503-1508 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9474, fol. 163v |
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| Andrea del Sarto, Saints Michael and John Gualbert Italian, 1528 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
But, he is most often seen in the act of combat against the dragon (symbol of Satan) or against a demon (again symbolic of Satan). These images fall into two types. The first, and earlier of the two, is that of single combat between Michael and his adversary.
 |
| Anonymous, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon French, c.1125-1150 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from a Psalter German (Franconia), c. 1225-1250 Paris, Bibliotheque naationale de France MS Latin 17961, fol. 62 |
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| St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from the Liber floridus of Lambert de Saint-Omer French (North French), c.1250-1275 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 8865, fol. 39 |
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| St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from Vies des saints French (Paris), 1325-1350 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 185, fol. 259v |
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| Ambrogio Lorenzetti, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon Italian, 1330-1335 Asciano, Museo d'Arte Sacra |
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| Giovanni di Benedetto and collaborators St. Micheal Overcoming the Dragon from Missal for use of Friars Minor Italian (Milan), c.1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 757, fol. 357v |
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| Alabaster carving. St. Michael Overcoming Dragon English, c.1430-1470 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Master of Marguerite of Orleans St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from Hours of Marguerite d'Orleans French (Rennes), c.1430 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1156 B, fol. 165 |
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| St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from Hours of Louis of Savoy French (Savoy), 1445-1460 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9473, fol. 166 |
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| Miguel Ximenez, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon Part of an altarpiece of the Pieta, St. Michael and St/ Catherine Spanish, 1475-1485 Madrid, Museo del Prado |
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| Anonymous, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon French, c..1500 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Jean Bourdichon, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon from the Hours of Frederic of Aragon French (Tours), 1501-1504 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de MS Latin 10532, fol. 358 |
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| Gerard David, St. MIchael Overcoming the Demons Flemish, c.1510 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum |
Two of the most famous images of this single combat type are two paintings by Raphael (himself named after another of the archangels) done fifteen years apart.
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| Raphael, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon Italian, 1503 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Raphael, St. Micheal Overcoming the Demon Italian, 1518 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Guido Reni, St. Michael Overcoming Satan Italian, 1635 Rome, S. Maria della Consolazione |
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| Ignacio de Ries, St. Michael Overcoming Satan Spanish, 1640s New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Juan de Valdes Leal, St. Michael Overcoming Satan Spanish, c. 1656 Madrid, Museo del Prado |
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| Luca Giordano, St. Michael Overcoming Satan Italian, 1666 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum |
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| Domenico Corvi, St. Michael Overcoming Satan Italian, 1758 Rome, Santissima Trinita dei Monti |
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| Eugene Delacroix, St. Michael Overcoming Satan French, 1854-1861 Paris, Church of Saint-Sulpice |
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| Emmanuel Fremiet, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon French, 1895 Paris, Musee d'Orsay |
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| Anglican Cope, St. Michael Overcoming the Dragon Design Possibly by Sir J. Ninian Comper Embroidery by the Society of the Sisters of Bethany English, c.1900 Boston, Museum of Fine Arts |
The second type of combat image is that of Michael as the general of the whole Host of Heaven. These images are frequently known as "The Fall of the Rebel Angels". These pictures tend to come from a later period than the images of Michael as courtier or as solo warrior.
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| Boucicaut Master, Fall of the Rebel Angels De Proprietatibus rerum by Barthelemy l'Anglais French (Paris), 1400-1425 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 9141, fol. 17v |
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| Spinello Aretino, St. Michael and the Heavenly Host Italian, 1408-1410 London, National Gallery |
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| Master of Zafra, Fall of the Rebel Angels Spanish, 1495-1500 Madrid, Museo del Prado |
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| Domenico Beccafumi, Fall of the Rebel Angels Italian, c.1528 Siena, San Niccolo al Carmine |
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| _Frans Floris, Fall of the Rebel Angels Flemish, 1554 Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten |
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| Peter Paul Rubens, Fall of Rebel Angels Flemish, 1619-1623 Munich, Alte Pinakothek |
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| Peter Paul Rubens, Fall of the Rebel Angels Flemish, 1620 Brussels, Koninklijke Museum voor Schoen Kunsten van Belgie |
Michael as Prover of Souls
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| Last Judgment and Michael Weighing Souls from Psaltar of St. Louis and of Blanche of Castille French (Paris), ca.1225 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Arsenal 1186, fol. 169v |
“At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since the nation began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
Many of those who sleep
in the dust of the earth shall awake;
Some to everlasting life,
others to reproach and everlasting disgrace. “
(Daniel 12:1-2)
It is through his position of warrior and defender of heaven that Michael is the angel who examines the souls of the dead, weighing them in balance scales to determine their ultimate destination. This action is usually, although not always, shown as taking place in the context of the Last Judgment.
 |
| St. Michael Weighing Souls from the Shaftesbury Psalter English, 1225-1250 London, British Library MS Lansdowne 383, fol.168v |
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| The Syon Cope English, 1300-1320 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| St. Michael Judging Souls (Evil Souls) from Pelerinage de l'ame by Guillaume de Degulleville French (Rennes), 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 90v |
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| St. Michael Judging Souls (Good Souls) from Pelerinage de l'ame by Guillaume de Degulleville French (Rennes), 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 91 |
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| Rogier Van der Weyden, St. Michael Weighing Souls Center Panel of the Last Judgment Altarpiece Flemish, 1446-1452 Beaune, Musee de l'Hotel Dieu |
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| Hans Memling, St. Michael Weighing Souls Center Panel of the Last Judgment Altarpiece Flemish, 1467-1471 Gdansk, Muzeum Narodowe |
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| Biagio d'Antonio Tucci, St. Michael Weighing Souls Italian, 1476 Avignon, Musee du Petit Palais |
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| Juan de la Abadia, St. Michael Weighing Souls Spanish, c.1490 Barcelona, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya |
Michael as Patron of France
Images of Michael as patron of France center around the apparitions to St. Joan of Arc. Saint Joan reported that her task of freeing France from the English was announced to her through several apparitions of three saints, Michael, Margaret (of Antioch) and Catherine (of Alexandria). The subject has been most frequent in the last 200 or so years.
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| Hermann Anton Stilke, Apparition of Saints Catherine and Michael to Joan of Arc German, 1843 Saint Petersburg, Hermitage Museum |
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| Jules Bastien-Lepage, Joan of Arc French, 1879 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art This has been and remains one of the most popular paintings in the Met. The three saints are presented as vaporous figures in the upper left corner. Only Michael, clad in golden armor, is easily seen. |
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| Eugene Samuel Grasset, Joan of Arc and Saint Michael Design for pair of windows French, 1893 Paris, Musee d'Orsay At this point in time Joan was not yet a saint. She was canonized in 1920. |
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| Rene Marie Castaing, Joan of Arc Window French, 1900-1925 Pau, Musee des Beaux-Arts Here Michael occupies the central position among the three saints in the upper portion of the left side. |
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| Gaston Bussiere, Joan of Arc, the Predestined French, 1909 Macon, Musee des Ursulines |
Michael As Worshiper
In these images Michael appears, not as a courtier or a warrior or a general, but as a member of the faithful, affirming by his actions that, like us, he too is a created being, acknowledging God as the Supreme Being and source of life for His creations. Michael is sometime depicted alone, but in most instances he is depicted as one of a group. The group may consist of other angels, especially of other archangels, or it may be made up of other saints, indeed it may be the entire court of heaven. However, unlike more generalized pictures depicting the heavenly court, in the pictures I am offering for your attention, Michael is conspicuously positioned and frequently shown in his armor. |
| Jean Colombe and collaborators, Christ and the Virgin Enthroned in Heaven from Hours of Anne of France French (Bourges), 1473 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M677, fol. 236r Michael can be seen standing at the far left. |
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| St. Michael, Archangels and Seraphim in Prayer from Prayer Book French (Paris), 1485-1495 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS H.3, fol. 157r |
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| Federico Zuccaro, Archangels Adoring the Trinity Italian, c.1594 Rome, Church of the Gesu, Chapel of the Angels |
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| Philippe van Mallery, Saints Michael, Augustine, John Chrysostom and Norbert Adoring the Eucharist in a Monstance Flemish, 1608 - before 1639 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum |
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| Johann-Heinrich Schoenfeld, Holy Trinity Adored by Angels and Saints German, 1640 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Louis LeNain, St. Michael Dedicating His Weapons to the Virgin and Child French, c.1640 Nevers, Church of Saint-Pierre |
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| Carlo Maratti, Saints Michael, Luke, Julian, Peter and Paul Adoring the Holy Face Italian, c.1670 Monterotondo (Lazio), Cathedral, Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene |
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| Corrado Giacinto, Adoration of the Trinity Italian, 1744 Rome, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme |
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| Louis Comfort Tiffany, Victory in Heaven Window American, 1895-1920 New York, Episcopal Church of St. Michael |
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| Louis Comfort Tiffany, St. Michael Central Figure of the Victory in Heaven Window American, 1895-1920 New York, Episcopal Church of St. Michael |
We would do well to honor Michael with the prayer that used to be recited by everyone at the end of every Mass:
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
© M. Duffy, 2011. 2016
______________________________________________________
1. "St. Michael the Archangel." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 26 Sept. 2016
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10275b.htm>.
