The Triumph of the Angels by Albrecht Dürer

Art work details

Artist:

Albrecht Dürer

Medium :

Woodcut

Materials:

Paper, Ink (printing)

Dimensions :

height: 39.1 cms; width: 28 cms

Credit Line :

Bequest of Louisa Dudgeon

Tags:

Religion, Woodcut, Durer

In the Biblical story of the Apocalypse, Satan is represented by a seven-headed dragon. Here, the dragon is shown locked in aerial combat with angels, most prominent of which is St Michael.

‘Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven’, Revelation 12:7

The sky has darkened, with twisting snakelike clouds and a writhing mass of angels fighting the terrifying beast. St. Michael’s face is contorted with the effort of grasping the lance with which he is impaling the dragon and his knees are bent as he thrusts down with deadly force. With this dynamic and intense image, Dürer depicts the clash of good and evil as a fearsome struggle.