Who painted Saint Michael?

Saint Michael was painted by German 15th Century in 1480.

Where can I see Saint Michael?

Saint Michael is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint Michael?

Saint Michael is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Saint Michael

German 15th Century , 1480

Saint Michael is a print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1480 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Saint Michael is a print executed with a paste technique on laid paper. The work presents a heavily textured surface composed of fine brown and black fragments, giving the image a grainy, uneven appearance. A thin, pale border frames the composition, reminiscent of aged paper edges.

Subject & Meaning

The piece depicts the archangel Michael, traditionally shown as a celestial warrior. The stark contrast between light and dark areas emphasizes the figure’s dramatic presence, suggesting a narrative of spiritual conflict and triumph.

Technique & Style

Created by pressing pigmented paste into a design and transferring it onto paper, the print displays a tactile, almost stamp‑like quality. The artist employs chiaroscuro, using pronounced light and shadow to heighten depth and tension within the composition.

History & Provenance

The work is catalogued as a paste print, a method that saw limited use in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Details of its creation date, artist, or ownership history are not recorded in the available documentation.

Context

Paste printing emerged as an experimental alternative to traditional intaglio and lithography, allowing for a more spontaneous, textured effect. Saint Michael aligns with this experimental spirit, using the medium’s inherent roughness to convey a sense of immediacy.