St. Michael Archangel

Abstract

The statue of St. Michael the Archangel is placed on a shelf to the left above the De Simone Altarpiece in the Cathedral of Matera. This altarpiece may have replaced one that was dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. Here the saint is rendered in a contrapposto pose reminiscent of Stefano da Putignano's St. Michael in Monte Laureto. St. Michael's engaged left leg juts out against the shield he carries in his left hand. The pose is balanced by his right hand, which is raised above and behind his head, presumably holding the sword with which he slays the dragon. The sword, however, is not visible, and unlike in Stefano da Putignano's sculpture, there is no dragon at his feet. (Both of these omissions may be the result of preservation issues.) The angel's grace is conveyed through his soft face and red cheeks. The polychromy is well preserved, although the gold shows some wear on the wings. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.