“Saint Michael Vanquishing Satan,” crafted by Gustave Moreau circa 1882, is a watercolor painting belonging to the Symbolism art movement. This religious painting, depicting the triumphant Saint Michael overpowering Satan, is held within a private collection.
In the artwork, Saint Michael, adorned in ornate armor and resplendent with golden wings, is portrayed in a dynamic pose, his spear poised to strike down Satan. The depiction captures a celestial confrontation, with Saint Michael hovering in a majestic, ethereal glow symbolized by the radiant cross above his head. Satan, depicted as a grotesque and writhing figure beneath Michael’s feet, embodies the classic imagery of evil subdued by divine intervention. The watercolor medium lends the scene a luminous, dreamlike quality, characteristic of Symbolism, enhancing the mystical and transcendent themes within this powerful and dramatic composition.
