This stand consists of two assembled woodplanks, hinged so that it can be folded flat for transport. The entire surface is covered by a black lacquer coating with gold and polychrome decoration. While its front side depicts themes of a purely Christian and European character, its rear follows a classical Chinese decorative program.
The front of the backrest depicts the Archangel St. Michael dressed as a knight with armor, pauldrons and cape, within a golden sunburst of alternating flaming and straight rays. On his long wavy hair, he wears a headband with a cross. His wings have golden, red and green feathers. Standing on a long-tailed creature of spotted fur – a demon symbolizing Lucifer, the Devil or Evil – he holds in his right hand a spear ending in an astylar cross, which he pushes into the creature’s gaping mouth. His left holds an unbalanced scale with human figures in each pan, the lower of which the beast is about to grab by the claws and pull into his gaping mouth. Thus, the archangel appears as both the Defeater of Lucifer and the Weigher of Souls on Judgment Day.