Saint Giles with Christ Triumphant over Satan and the Mission of the Apostles by Miguel Alcañiz (or Miquel Alcanyís)

Saint Giles with Christ Triumphant over Satan and the Mission of the Apostles 1403 - 1413

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tempera, painting, oil-paint

medieval

allegory

tempera

painting

oil-paint

sculpture

landscape

figuration

oil painting

history-painting

international-gothic

christ

Dimensions Overall 59 5/8 x 39 1/2 in. (151.4 x 100.3 cm); upper left panel, painted surface 24 1/8 x 16 7/8 in. (61.3 x 42.9 cm); lower left panel, painted surface 24 5/8 x 16 7/8 in. (62.5 x 42.9 cm); right panel, painted surface 46 1/8 x 16 7/8 in. (117.2 x 42.9 cm)

Miguel Alcañiz painted "Saint Giles with Christ Triumphant over Satan and the Mission of the Apostles" around the 15th century. The artwork displays a vertical composition, divided into three distinct panels, unified by a gold background. The right panel features a large figure of Saint Giles. Alcanyís uses hierarchical scale to emphasize the spiritual importance of the figures and the events depicted. The iconographic presentation employs well-defined lines and symbolic elements. The composition creates a visual language that invites viewers to engage with religious narratives. Each panel unfolds a narrative, with the upper left showing Christ’s triumph and the lower left, the apostles' mission. This arrangement doesn’t just tell a story; it organizes a world of meaning. Alcañiz uses the gold to flatten space, emphasizing symbolic depth over naturalistic representation.