Artwork
Erzengel Michael
Erzengel Michael is an unspecified painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Francesco Trevisani. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1701 by the Italian painter Francesco Trevisani, Erzengel Michael is an oil work that exemplifies the late Baroque moving toward early Rococo. The canvas, now housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, presents a vivid religious tableau that captures the period’s fascination with dramatic narrative and theatrical composition.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a celestial female figure, likely an angelic warrior, poised above a cluster of grotesque demons. She extends a sword in a commanding gesture, while the surrounding fiends display a range of reactions, from retreat to aggressive assault, conveying the triumph of divine authority over malevolent forces.
Technique & Style
Trevisani employs a stark contrast of light and shadow, reminiscent of chiaroscuro, to heighten the scene’s tension. The luminous figure against a storm‑filled sky, punctuated by flashes of lightning, underscores the Baroque emphasis on movement and emotional intensity, while the softer modeling of forms hints at the emerging Rococo sensibility.
History & Provenance
Influenced by the Roman classicist Carlo Maratta, Trevisani integrated that mentor’s balanced composition with his own dynamic flair. After its completion, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains part of the museum’s representation of high Baroque religious art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Trevisani (April 9, 1656 – July 30, 1746) was an Italian painter, active in the period called either early Rococo or late Baroque (barochetto).
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Der Erzengel Michael
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