Archangel Michael, commander of awesome forces
Iconography: Archangel Michael – the Commander of the Fearsome Host
Date: XIX century. 1857
Iconographic school/art center: North of Russia (Vygoretsiya ?)
Origin: From the Chapel of the Archangel Michael in the village of Lizhmozero on Maly Ostrov, Kondopozhsky district, the Republic of Karelia.
Material: Wood, tempera
Dimensions: height cm, width cm
The saint is depicted against the starry sky inside a medallion supported by angels. The Archangel Michael is portrayed riding a fiery horse. In his mouth is the Final Judgment trumpet. In his hands, linked by rainbow, he holds a book, a censer and a cross with which he is piercing Satan. In the upper field, in a segment of heaven with heavenly lamps is the figure of Jesus Christ standing behind the throne upon which there lie wine, bread, a cross and the Gospel.
In the upper part of the icon is an inscription “Небесного Царя Державы Крепкий, Сильный, Страшный, Грозный Воевода от Бога учинен Архистратиг Михаил предстатель престолу Господню и величествия Его всегда готов храбрыя, супостат не бояся, Поднебесную проходя, просвещая, утверждая и устрашая всех”. Above the rainbow is a citation from the 103 Psalm “Творяй агглы Своя духи [и слуги] Своя”, above it the words “огнь палящь”. The censer and the book are inscribed, respectively “Изыде от кадила благоухание во всю вселенную” and “Изыде Слово Божие во всю вселенную”. There are two more citations from the Psalms: “Престол Твой, Боже, во век века, жезл правости, жезл Царствия Твоего” (Psalm 44:7, to the right of the composition) and the one, in the bottom, pertaining to Satan: “Врагу оскудевша оружия в конец, и грады разрушил еси, погибе память его с шумом”.
Inv. № И-1500. © Republic of Karelia Museum of Fine Arts
General view
Jesus Christ
Michael the Archangel
The defeated Satan