Duivels vluchten voor Filippo Neri 1630 - 1641

Luca Ciamberlano created this print, "Devils Flee from Filippo Neri," featuring Saint Filippo Neri banishing devils from a sick man's room. The devil figure here— a grotesque, winged creature—is a potent symbol, deeply rooted in the medieval Christian imagination as a tempter and source of human suffering. The image evokes similar themes found in earlier works, such as the Temptation of Saint Anthony, where the saint confronts nightmarish visions. In those depictions, as in this one, devils are a projection of inner turmoil, externalized as monstrous forms. Consider how the 'devil' motif has evolved; from ancient pagan deities to the embodiment of evil in Christian theology, and later, as symbols in literature and art representing psychological struggles. This symbol is not static but alive, evolving through human experiences, reflecting our ever-changing fears and anxieties. Its enduring presence proves its powerful hold on the collective consciousness.