Aartsengel Michaël met een zeskoppige draak en de Heilige Drie-eenheid 1685 - 1750

Editor: This is "Archangel Michael with a six-headed dragon and the Holy Trinity," a print – an engraving actually – made sometime between 1685 and 1750 by Louis Gomier. There’s so much going on; it feels very dramatic, even operatic. What captures your attention in this piece? Curator: Well, first, it’s fascinating to consider how such prints functioned in early modern Europe. Engravings like this one, depicting Saint Michael vanquishing evil, served as powerful visual propaganda during times of religious conflict, especially during and after the Reformation. This imagery bolstered the Catholic Church's authority. Do you notice how the Holy Trinity is positioned above, almost approving of Michael’s action? Editor: Yes, it’s all very hierarchical. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit literally preside over the battle below. Was this image meant to be distributed widely? Curator: Exactly! Think of this not just as a work of art, but as a reproducible image strategically deployed. It would have circulated, shaping popular understanding of good versus evil and the Church’s role in that cosmic struggle. The baroque style, with its dramatic diagonals and swirling clouds, amplifies the emotional impact. It’s not just a depiction; it's an experience designed to persuade. Notice also, this work resembles the *libelli*, popular and widely-distributed propaganda of the era, during religious reformation conflicts. Editor: So the artistic style is working in service of the message? And mass production aided widespread dissemination and control of this imagery by the church? Curator: Precisely! And we see that even in details, consider the six-headed dragon; representing multifaceted evils easily defeated by the righteous angel of God. Editor: It’s interesting to think of art as a tool for shaping public opinion. Thanks; I never thought about engravings this way before, I have learned about understanding the social and political forces that influenced art's creation and dissemination! Curator: Likewise, your insight into the work's initial dramatic effect is key to its historical function too.