The Fall of the Rebel Angels

The subject of the painting derives from a Christian story in the New Testament of the Bible (Revelations 12:9). Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734) captures the moment that the ‘great dragon’, Satan, and his angels ‘were cast out onto the earth’. The Archangel Michael appears heroic, dressed in armour with flowing drapery and wings outstretched. His shield radiates with golden light, which appears to repel the rebel angels beneath him. Their tangled, writhing bodies contrast with the archangel’s composed and graceful figure.   

An internationally celebrated artist in his lifetime, Ricci was held in high esteem by artistic contemporaries and patrons alike. This painting is typical of his later work, produced in his studio in Venice, Italy.