Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell
By Haley Flores
The sculptor constructed the sculpture out of polychromed wood and glass. Polychrome wood is known to date back to ancient Egypt, and is a wood that has been decorated with multiple colors of opaque paints and pigments. If the Saint Michael sculpture had to be described in one word it would be, beautiful. The sculptor put so much detail in his work, which made it breathtaking to look at. The wings on Michael are beautifully carved with multiple different colors, and his sword is a dark grey color and jagged. He is clothed in a sapphire blue top and gray skirt, with a green cloth around him from his shoulder to his waist. On his head he wears a helmet and on his shoulders it looks like he has some type of armor. On the top of his helmet he has colored feathers. Around his waist he wears a belt for protection, and his footwear are black gladiator sandals that have either an animal or human face on them. In the sculpture Michael is conquering Satan, and he is standing on top of Satan and is about to end the battle with his sword. Satan is holding a black and silver trident, but he is no danger to St. Michael. He appears to be not clothed and has grey and red wings. The sculptor did an amazing job with Satan’s facial expression by making him look like he is terrified, and made his body look like he is trying to fight off Michael. The sculptor made it appear as if the battle is happening in the heavens on clouds of gold.
Although he is an important figure in three religions, this sculpture was more for a Christian audience in mind. This sculpture may have appeared in a church or in a palace. The person most likely responsible for manufacturing this sculpture was a sculptor who worked in wood, though there are elements of this sculpture that required glass, which was probably sourced from a glassmaking workshop.
|
Made in Naples, Italy in 1705, this object is a sculpture of Saint Michael casting Satan into Hell. St. Michael is an archangel, therefore he has no birth or death date, but September 29 is his feast day (otherwise known as Michaelmas). The name Michael means “like unto God” (Ferguson, 168). St. Michael was known to rally soldiers for battle in heaven against Satan and his followers. St. Michael’s four main responsibilities were to combat Satan, escort the faithful to Heaven at their hour of death, to be a champion of all Christians in the church itself, and lastly to call men from life on Earth to their heavenly judgment. He was an archangel in the three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is known as the patron of grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police, and the infirm. In the fourth century St. Michael was identified as a healing angel by Christian sanctuaries, later on he became known as the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil. Devotions to St. Michael in the sixth century were common in both the Eastern and Western Churches. This St. Michael sculpture is fifty-two inches in height, twenty-nine inches in width, and twenty-four inches in depth. The sculpture can be viewed on the third floor of the Ahmanson Building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts (LACMA). The St. Michael sculpture stood out to me because of its beauty, and even though Michael and Satan are in a battle, the sculptor made it with amazing detail, making me want to do further research it.
A view of the Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell sculpture on the third floor in the Ahmanson Building, Los Angeles County Museum of Arts
Michael the Archangel is still well known today, especially by Christians. When in comes to choosing an item associated with Michael, Etsy has a large variety of items. There are over 600 items of jewelry, over 500 home and living items, over 200 art and collectibles, over 100 crafts and tools, and lover fifty accessories that are devoted to Michael and sold on Etsy. On Etsy, a beautiful bracelet called “The Blessed Bead” has blue and silver bali beads, gemstones, a cross and heart charm as well as a St. Michael medal on it, which was made for Christians who honor Michael for being an angelic defender and Captain of the of Hosts of the Lord. The “Blessed Bead” bracelet was handmade and is completely different than the LACMA sculpture, but they were both made beautifully. Another item devoted to Michael (also sold on Etsy) is a necklace with a locket. The necklace was handmade and manufactured with a silver twisted chain and a locket with Saint Michael battling Satan on it, much like the LACMA sculpture. This item says it is particularly made for men, and was made to honor Michael for being the patron of policemen, paratroopers, grocers, and the military.
|
German Tapestry (Saint Michael Slaying a dragon)
St. Michael, detail from Abraham and the Archangel Michael, Lower Saxony, mid-12th century; in Halberstadt Cathedral, Germany. 1.10 × 10.26 metres (whole tapestry).
This tapestry, which can be viewed in Halberstadt Cathedral in Germany, dates approximately to the twelfth century and illustrates Michael slaying a dragon. On this tapestry Michael is clothed in a white, dark blue, and gold gown, as well as a gold and blue cape, with his hair pulled back in a bun. He also has a big shield and long sword, which is in the dragon’s mouth. The dragon is not portrayed as either large or terrifying. The battle between Saint Michael and the dragon does not come off as an intense battle compared to the LACMA sculpture. Unlike the LACMA sculpture, the tapestry only has three main colors. The LACMA sculpture has multiple different colors, however, especially in Michael’s wings. One difference between the German tapestry and the LACMA sculpture is on the tapestry Michael does not have wings and in the sculpture he has beautiful, colorful wings. One major difference between the two is in the tapestry Michael is battling a dragon and in the sculpture he is battling Satan, but both the weaver and sculptor did an excellent job in representing Michael as the one dominating the battle. Tapestries are made by natural wrap thread, while sculptures can be made of glass, wood, and stone. Tapestries can be displayed in churches or be draped on walls for decoration, and sculptures can be displayed in churches or households. A similarity between the two is the way the weaver and sculptor made Saint Michael’s facial expression. They made him look like he is not terrified at all and knows that he is going to be triumphant.
Lorenzo Vaccaro (1655-1706)
Lorenzo Vaccaro was an Italian sculptor, architect, silversmith, and painter and was born in Naples, Italy. As Vaccaro grew older he began focusing on his studies, mainly law, but he then switched to study both sculpture and architecture. The reason why he was studying law in the first place was because his father was a lawyer, but he soon discovered his talent for drawing and later studied with Cosimo Fanzago (Kader, “Vaccaro”). Fanzago and Vaccaro worked on a marble monument to Francesco Rocco in the church of the Pietà dei Turchini, Naples but in 1678 Fanzago passed away, causing Vaccaro to finish their project two years later in 1680 (Kader, “Vaccaro”). He is also known for his paintings commissioned by the Duca di Morciano. In Vaccaro’s later years he focused on working on architectural and decorative projects. Two architectural and decorative projects he worked on until he passed away were the decoration of chapels in the church of the Certosa di San Martino, and the second was a monument of a statue of Philip V. Vaccaro was murdered in 1706 at Torre del Greco, and his son Domenico Antonio Vaccaro inherited his workshop. Domenico followed in his father’s footsteps and became a well-known Italian painter, sculptor, and architect. The connection Lorenzo Vaccaro has to the LACMA sculpture is that he designed the sculpture. Francesco Picano made the sculpture but modeled it after one of Vaccaro’s sketches.
Works Cited
Chase, George Henry and Chandler Post. A History Sculpture. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1925.
Emerson, Stephanie, ed. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003.
Ferguson, George. Signs and Symbols in Christian Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1954.
Kader, Alexander. "Vaccaro, Lorenzo." Oxford Online. Web. Accessed November 24, 2015.
“Michael Archangel.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Britannica Academic. Encyclopedia Britannica
Inc., 2015. Web. Accessed November 23, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Michael-archangel
"Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell." Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. http://collections.lacma.org/node/243621
Emerson, Stephanie, ed. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003.
Ferguson, George. Signs and Symbols in Christian Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1954.
Kader, Alexander. "Vaccaro, Lorenzo." Oxford Online. Web. Accessed November 24, 2015.
“Michael Archangel.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Britannica Academic. Encyclopedia Britannica
Inc., 2015. Web. Accessed November 23, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Michael-archangel
"Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell." Saint Michael Casting Satan into Hell. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. http://collections.lacma.org/node/243621