Saint Michael the Archangel Vanquishing Satan

Executed in oil, the painting employs a clear chiaroscuro that models the figures against a luminous sky dotted with white clouds. Hadziewicz’s handling of color—cool blues and greens for the background, warm reds and golds for the angel—creates depth and accentuates the narrative tension.

Created during a period when religious subjects retained prominence in Polish art, the canvas entered the National Museum in Kraków’s collection, where it remains on display. Hadziewicz, noted for portraiture and sacred themes, incorporated his study of antiquity into the work’s classical composition.

The painting reflects early‑19th‑century Polish artistic trends that balanced Romantic drama with academic conventions. By choosing a well‑known theological motif, Hadziewicz aligned himself with contemporaries who used biblical narratives to convey moral instruction amid a culturally turbulent era.