Archangel Michael, 17th century
Further images
Saint Michael the Archangel is a saint of universal Christian devotion and his cult is disclosed, according to Reau, from the sixth century, years in which it is configured, in a way, as the power of God. For the ivory figures of Spanish-Filipino art, the revival of this devotion in the Renaissance period is especially interested, promoted in part by the Jesuits who make it a symbol of the Church triumphing over heresy and because it was a saint of particular devotion of St. Francis Xavier His most usual representation is that in which he appears dressed as a Roman warrior throwing the dragon, Satan represented by a woman-sized figure with a mermaid or reptile tail defeated by the Guardian of the Roman Church.
The diffusion of its cult in the Philippines is a reflection of what Spain transmits to Latin America. Iconographically, its representation complies with European models of which there are copies in ivory, all dressed as warriors, some with morrion or helmet and others without it, with the dimension or body of the dress with fringe sleeves and skirts of the same that cover a Short tunic or Spanish fashion stabbed panties from the mid-16th century but which is generalized for rural classes throughout the 17th century.
Our exceptional Ivory Archangel presents his right arm wielding a flaming sword as he directs his triumphant gaze at the demon beneath his feet. Hairstyle with short mane of natural curls of a hair of fine golden threads carries on the forehead the fashionable bow tie of the years of Felipe III. The beautiful features of the oval face show clear hispanophilipine characters; thick eyelids over semi-narrowed eyes, thin nose with prominent fins, protruding chin and small polychrome mouth in bright red. His clothing is composed of a square neckline bodice or bodice with a smooth body decorated with delicate polychromies that represent the sun, moon and stars crossed by a knotted band. The fringed over skirt that comes out of a kind of three-band girdle over the belly covers its stabbed panties.