Saint Michael Defeating Heresy and Satan
Medium
pen and brown ink with brown wash and white heightening on blue laid paper, rubbed on verso with red chalk and incised for transfer
Dimensions
overall (octagonal): 25.9 x 28.4 cm (10 3/16 x 11 3/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Director's Discretionary Fund
Accession Number
2000.68.1
Art Historical Context
Behold *Saint Michael Defeating Her and Satan*, a dynamic preparatory drawing by Johann Georg Bergmüller, prominent Bavarian artist of the late Baroque era, created around 1730. This octagonal sheet captures the archangel Michael in triumphant combat against symbolic foes—heresy personified and the devil—reflecting the Catholic Church's enduring Counter-Reformation zeal to affirm orthodoxy amid religious strife. Bergmüller's fluid style, blending dramatic movement with intricate detail, exemplifies the expressive power of Central European Baroque draftsmanship, often seen in his grand frescoes...
About the Artist
Johann Georg Bergmüller · 1688–1762
From a well-known Swabian family of sculptors, cabinetmakers, and painters. He is best known for frescoes, altarpieces, and teaching. Comment on works: Religious