Aartsengel Michaël staand op duivel met speer en weegschaal

This small print of the Archangel Michael standing on the Devil with spear and scales was made by an anonymous artist. The image of Michael triumphing over evil through divine justice speaks volumes about the religious and social climate in which it was created. We see the visual codes of religious authority, the angel's armour and halo, contrasted with the defeated devil. The scales represent divine judgement, a crucial concept during the religious reformations of the 16th and 17th centuries in the Netherlands. These reformations questioned existing religious institutions. Prints like these served as powerful tools for disseminating specific theological viewpoints. As an art historian, to better understand this print, I would examine the historical context surrounding the production of similar prints, looking at the social function of religious imagery during times of upheaval. What role did the printing press play in shaping religious beliefs and social norms? The meaning of this artwork is contingent on the religious and institutional contexts of its time.