Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Saint Michael the Archangel expels the rebellious angels from paradise (probably a preparatory sketch)
Roman school, 17th/18th century
Oil on canvas 99 x 73 cm Framed 119 x 94 cm
The subject of this fascinating canvas is taken from the Last Judgement, an extremely rare subject that has always been particularly popular in painting, as it allowed artists to experiment with contorted poses, convulsive and sudden movements, pathos and drama in compositions animated by a sumptuous theatricality.
In particular, here we see the expulsion of the rebellious angels by Saint Michael the warrior: the Archangel is depicted in his armour with outstretched wings, striking the damned with force, who gradually transform into demons as they fall into the underworld.
The Archangel Michael dominates the scene, enveloped in divine light and surrounded by celestial clouds symbolising the separation between the heavenly kingdom and hell. Below him, a tangle of naked bodies falls in various positions: they writhe, collide, overlap, and try to find their place in the flood of flesh flowing from top to bottom.
Some of them fall on their backs, others with their heads down, and still others have reached the underworld, enveloped by the coils of hellish snakes and taking on the appearance of demons.
Baroque painting loved this type of subject matter, with religious scenes characterised by great emotional tension, treated with great pathos and immediacy. To achieve drama, artists used powerful contrasts of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), diagonal compositions and swirling lines, which immersed the viewer in a theatrical and engaging visual experience.
This painting is not only a work of art but also a manifesto of the struggle between good and evil, a recurring theme in art history that continues to inspire artists and enthusiasts.
The fascinating canvas follows a descriptive structure that makes it recognisable as a valuable preparatory sketch, a study for a larger altarpiece or, more likely, for a more complex fresco; this would therefore suggest that the final work was intended to decorate the main bay of a private chapel.
It is a work that reflects the characteristics of the Roman school between the 17th and 18th centuries: the colours are warm and bright, the colour range is clear and soft, and the brushstrokes are quick but precise, all typical elements of this period, with strong influences from the Flemish artists who populated the papal city.
The rendering of the drapery and the musculature of the bodies are typical characteristics of Flemish art of this period, a sign of the expert hand of a highly skilled painter, although it is difficult to identify the author with precision.
However, it is clear that the work was influenced by the illustrative models typical of this period, influenced by the Mannerist tradition of artists such as Cavalier d'Arpino, Andrea Commodi and Scipione Compagno, who tackled this subject on numerous occasions.
Of great interest, and certainly a source of inspiration for our artist, is the famous engraving by Philippe Thomassin (1562-1622) depicting the battle between the archangel Michael and the demons, taken from a painting by Giovanni Battista Ricci (1537-1627), in which details of our painting seem to be reflected. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1860-1110-249
Condition: the painting is in good condition with some restoration and repainting on the surface.
Delevery information :
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