Der heilige Michael, den Teufel niederwerfend c. 1807

Franz Pforr’s 1807 drawing, “Der heilige Michael, den Teufel niederwerfend”, depicts the archangel Michael defeating the Devil, a popular subject in religious art. Pforr, a German artist, created this detailed and dynamic drawing, now housed in the Städel Museum, using a single, fine line. The scene unfolds against a simple landscape backdrop, with a focus on the dramatic struggle between good and evil. Michael’s powerful stance and the defeated Devil’s contorted form emphasize the struggle, while the angel’s wings and the Devil’s horns emphasize their supernatural nature.