St Michael Overcoming Satan 

John Flaxman created this sculpture of St Michael Overcoming Satan in London, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century. It’s made from plaster, a common material for sculptors at the time, especially for preparatory models. The smooth, pale surface of the plaster emphasizes the figures’ forms and the dramatic tension of the scene. Flaxman would have built up the figures using tools to model and refine the wet plaster, layer by layer. Think about the labor involved in quarrying the raw materials, processing them into plaster, and then the skilled handwork required to shape the sculpture. While Flaxman was a celebrated artist, much of the physical work was probably done by assistants. This division of labor was common in the art world, reflecting the social hierarchies of the time. The use of plaster, while practical, also allowed Flaxman to create a monumental work that could be reproduced, making art more accessible, albeit still within a system of patronage and production that reflected broader social inequalities.