The Archangel Michael defeats Satan 1725 - 1779

Lorenzo Zucchi created this print, titled "The Archangel Michael defeats Satan," sometime in the 1700s. Produced during the Enlightenment, this print offers a glimpse into the era's complex relationship with religious and political power. Here, we see the Archangel Michael, poised in triumphant strength, his foot firmly planted on Satan, a symbol of evil and discord. Note the figures surrounding them, embodiments of purity and corruption, locked in this eternal struggle. Zucchi uses the traditional Christian narrative of the battle between good and evil as a commentary on earthly power structures. Michael's victory can be seen as an endorsement of divine right and monarchical rule. What does it mean to visualize moral concepts in human form, and how might this reflect the social values of the time? Consider the ways in which Zucchi's print reinforces prevailing ideas about authority, faith, and the consequences of dissent.