Michaël vecht tegen duivels 1750

Jan Punt's print depicts the archangel Michael vanquishing devils. Here, we see the age-old battle between good and evil rendered in stark monochrome. Michael, armed with a shield, battles serpentine and winged devils, symbols of chaos and temptation. Consider how this scene echoes through time. The motif of the hero battling monstrous forms is ancient. Think of Perseus slaying Medusa or Saint George fighting the dragon. These images are not mere stories; they are embodiments of our primal struggles against fear and the unknown. Michael's triumph is more than a religious narrative, it is the human spirit asserting order over chaos. The serpent, a key figure, has slithered through countless cultures, from the Garden of Eden to ancient Greek healing rituals. Its shifting forms reflect our own changing relationship with nature, divinity, and our inner selves. Punt’s print taps into this deep reservoir of collective memory, reminding us that these archetypal battles continue to resonate within us.