Fine Art Tuesday

 

The Archangel Michael vanquishing Satan: Mexico City

This statue projects power and compactness. Unlike many paintings of Michael vanquishing Satan, this St Michael projects masculinity and power. Where Guido Reni's painting shows Michael's head as feminine and shrunken, this artist shows Michael's head as massive and past the first blush of youth.

The multi-bladed sword is a nice touch. The devil is the master of deceit and finds new ways, new heads, to attack souls.

Victory over Satan: Hamburg, Germany.

Artistically, this is almost the opposite of the statue in Mexico. Where the one in Mexico is compact, this one is open and airy.

I like that the artist chose to pack context around this statue. There are witnesses to the victory, even as we know the victory is transient and the struggle is eternal. Satan is looking at a mother-and-child just before receiving the spear into the back of his neck.

Dare I say it? "I'll be Bach."

Fine art? Maybe. Maybe not.

I like the angular, blocky, masculinity of Michael. I also like the gluttonous Satan. How many sins spring from lack of self-discipline? How many souls have been lost for the desire for more and better treats. Great stuff, there.