St. Michael

Clad in classical armor and wielding a sword, the winged Michael stands upon the neck of a fallen monster, holding a shield marked with a red cross. Behind him, a bleak horizon features the burning towers of the City of Dis and a procession of hooded figures representing the hypocrites. The foreground is littered with grotesque, hybrid creatures that reflect the influence of Northern visionary art on the young Raphael.

This work is a significant visual engagement with Dante Alighieri's 'Inferno', specifically referencing the punishments of the hypocrites and the thieves. It represents the Renaissance synthesis of classical form with medieval theological literature, illustrating the victory of divine order over the chaos of the infernal realm.