Gezicht op de Fontaine Saint-Michel in Parijs c. 1850 - 1880

Noël Paul Chapus captured this stereoscopic view of the Fontaine Saint-Michel in Paris with photography. Dominating the composition is the archangel Michael, sword raised, casting down Lucifer. This powerful image taps into a deep well of cultural memory. We see echoes of this motif across centuries and cultures, from ancient depictions of gods battling chaos to Renaissance paintings of St. George slaying the dragon. Consider the psychological weight of this symbol: the triumph of good over evil, a theme that resonates in the collective unconscious. The raised sword, a gesture of power, appears in countless variations throughout art history, each iteration carrying the weight of its predecessors. This isn't merely a depiction of a biblical scene; it is a recurring expression of humanity's eternal struggle, a visual echo reverberating through time, constantly reshaped by the anxieties and aspirations of each new era.