Previous Saint Michael The Archangel example essay topic

264 words
Unseen by the ordinary eye, angels serve one of religious art's primary objectives: they make visible God's invisible majesty and participation in human lives. While the idea for angels derives from winged emissaries of the ancient Near East, their representation in Christian art is based on Eros or Cupid, gods in classical antiquity. They are envisioned as ethereal, winged creatures, as in Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's Flight into Egypt, or as winged children, as in the Gualenghi-d'Este Hours. Archangels are sent to earth on a special mission from God and are known by name. Gabriel, who announces to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to Christ, often appears as a majestic, luxuriously robed, winged figure, as in Dieric Bouts' Annunciation. Michael, the leader of the cherubim and seraphim who will vanquish the devil at the end of time, is most commonly shown as a knight, as in the Prayer Book of Charles the Bold.

Previous / Unseen by the ordinary eye, angels serve one of religious art's primary objectives: they make visible God's invisible majesty and participation in human lives. Previous Saint Michael the archangel stands upon a dragon with his spear and shield jammed into the beast's open mouth. Around him, other angels fight demons in the final battle before the Second Coming of the Messiah, for which would return to earth. This full-page miniature introduces the Mass celebrated on his feast day, an important one in this missal since Michael was the patron saint of the church for which it was made.