Saint Michael expelling the Rebel Angels 

Francesco Solimena completed this oil on canvas depicting Saint Michael sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Oil paint is a wonderfully versatile medium, ground from pigment and oil, that is particularly good for creating drama and movement. Solimena layered the viscous paint to create texture. This gives form to the angel’s rippling muscles as he triumphs over the fallen angels, with dramatic contrasts of light and shadow. The making of oil paint was often done by workshop assistants. The master painter would then be responsible for the creative act of composition. Here, the dynamism of the scene is reinforced by the texture of the paint. The social context in which this painting would have been consumed—likely by the church or aristocracy—is brought to life through the physical qualities of the medium. The work’s value lies not just in its visual impact, but also in the skilled labor and artistry embedded within the material itself.