Raffaello, san michele (piccolo), 1503-1505, 02

The Archangel Michael stands in classical armor, pinning a multi-headed dragon to the earth while raising his sword for a final blow. Behind him, a desolate hellscape unfolds, featuring a burning city and various grotesque creatures reminiscent of Northern visionary art. To the left, a line of figures in heavy robes represents the hypocrites from the eighth circle of Hell, burdened by their leaden cloaks.

This painting represents the High Renaissance synthesis of Christian angelology and classical form, specifically drawing upon Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy for its background imagery. The inclusion of specific punishments from the Inferno—such as the hypocrites and the thieves attacked by serpents—aligns the work with the philosophical and moral cosmology central to the Western tradition.