medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Meg, I'm generally more familiar with the Eastern Orthodox world of iconography. I just did a google image search for this one, just to get a broad cross-section; most of these aren't either especially historic or very good (a more thorough search could well yield better results), but Eastern iconography tends to be pretty conservative in following old models (western influences notwithstanding).
1. On Horseback: This is a common motif in predominantly Russian iconography in which Michael is associated with an angel blowing a trumpet for the apocalypse. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=YMWECDeXOI7q1M:&imgrefurl=http://victoricons.blogspot.com/2011/09/saint-michael-archangel.html&docid=gcFloYcHoAnCbM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O3ClasyiHMs/ToFs57kQcKI/AAAAAAAABjc/yJ1Cjtr55ug/s1600/Icon-of-Saint-Michael-the-Archangel_01.jpg&w=768&h=1039&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=670&vpy=177&dur=5750&hovh=261&hovw=193&tx=93&ty=178&sig=118085856777547282371&page=1&tbnh=116&tbnw=86&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:0,i:111
2. Again, in Byzantine hymnography and iconography, Michael and Gabriel are described as "Captains of the Heavenly Hosts." This is a typical icon of the Angelic hosts: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=angelic+hosts+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=aPbb8T3dAIWPXM:&imgrefurl=http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2010/04/revelation-of-st-anthony-great-on.html&docid=rgcePPvKazUhxM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UOJjUH2o_wM/S84oN2h8ZeI/AAAAAAAADmU/-DiwPVZ4u1c/s1600/Holy%252BAngels.jpg&w=1116&h=1458&ei=sPuXT-OnFenO2gX5n7WeBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=85&vpy=108&dur=1687&hovh=257&hovw=196&tx=110&ty=131&sig=115311368914411772094&page=1&tbnh=119&tbnw=91&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:67 or http://www.google.com/imgres?q=angelic+hosts+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=jGQ1rVFSDOnlcM:&imgrefurl=http://catholicityandcovenant.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html&docid=Vf1Aq9WOlR9UxM&imgurl=http://www.easterngiftshop.com/media/ecom/prodlg/Synaxis%252520Archangels2%252520flyer.jpg&w=442&h=600&ei=sPuXT-OnFenO2gX5n7WeBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=266&sig=105920506781796628711&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=83&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:37,s:0,i:101&tx=32&ty=17
3. Wielding a sword: Michael is often depicted HOLDING a sword (e.g., http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=h0QlQtZbjx36QM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ets.ru/e/ut000075.htm&docid=bGo9yqwk1yQroM&imgurl=http://www.ets.ru/images/ut000075.jpg&w=333&h=413&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=413&vpy=2&dur=203&hovh=250&hovw=202&tx=149&ty=131&sig=118085856777547282371&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=96&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:73 or http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=ikuZAH32i7TkCM:&imgrefurl=http://stgeorgegr.com/parish/faq/iconostasis/saints-michael-gabriel/&docid=mLl8N1U7T_T_QM&imgurl=http://www.progressmme.com/stgeorge/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/icon-michael.jpg&w=253&h=600&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=769&vpy=95&dur=3094&hovh=346&hovw=146&tx=92&ty=243&sig=118085856777547282371&page=1&tbnh=116&tbnw=55&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:0,i:113 ), but I did come across a few of him wielding one (most of these seem to have really heavy Latin influence): http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=L7BXfYgGMivD4M:&imgrefurl=http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/333419872/ST_MICHAEL_THE_ARCHANGEL_ICON.html&docid=pk6au9T1nOF14M&imgurl=http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/333419872/ST_MICHAEL_THE_ARCHANGEL_ICON.jpg&w=655&h=655&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=522&vpy=5&dur=3985&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=95&ty=137&sig=118085856777547282371&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=120&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0,i:75 ; http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=Z9o3QSxRgwL-yM:&imgrefurl=http://gabrielsmessage.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/worshippers-of-the-heavenly-choir-circling-the-throne-of-glory/&docid=5H2Mim2cy6LPyM&imgurl=http://gabrielsmessage.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/icon_st_michael_archangel2.jpg&w=300&h=482&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=490&vpy=156&dur=4188&hovh=285&hovw=177&tx=93&ty=201&sig=118085856777547282371&page=2&tbnh=126&tbnw=81&start=24&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:24,i:148 [seems to be rescuing the soul of Moses in this one] or http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=XFTOkftypp7OKM:&imgrefurl=http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D219439%26page%3D11&docid=cVd678qSo-9jxM&imgurl=http://www.archangelsbooks.com/prodimages/Large/Icons/a-93.jpg&w=240&h=382&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=95&vpy=158&dur=1282&hovh=283&hovw=178&tx=92&ty=258&sig=118085856777547282371&page=3&tbnh=138&tbnw=91&start=56&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:56,i:233
4. Spear or lance: Pretty common, again. http://www.catholiccompany.com/gold-leaf-icon-st-michael-archangel-16x8-p2022679/ or http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=HUeZeZ0qE7gLrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.hieropraxis.com/2009/09/the-feast-of-st-michael-the-archangel/&docid=gso3bJ_lgj-pfM&imgurl=http://www.hieropraxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/st_michael_icon.gif&w=350&h=461&ei=0vaXT83PJurs2QXLp-ySBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=84&vpy=2&dur=3032&hovh=258&hovw=196&tx=84&ty=116&sig=118085856777547282371&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=87&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:67
5. I can't think of ever seeing any Eastern iconography of his weighing souls (since judgment is exclusively God's). in the icons of the apocalypse while on horseback, he often has a horn in one hand and a censer in the other, but there's sort of a rainbow shape above (You can see it well with these two: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_whistling_train/3591566258/ or http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_whistling_train/3591567268/in/photostream/
6. There are some that depict Michael holding or guiding or saving souls, like the one w/ Moses' soul above or http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=PoPUElzjDm-5HM:&imgrefurl=http://snowshoetracks.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html&docid=JbKAqCUp5-5m3M&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cvZmxu8aB_8/TKNY3wjxzjI/AAAAAAAAGy0/5ElOugX14Kc/s1600/st.%252Bmichael%252Bicon.jpg&w=400&h=451&ei=CfuXT5LQFqqg2gXo69WsBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=451&vpy=203&dur=3047&hovh=238&hovw=211&tx=144&ty=229&sig=107173611202166177649&page=1&tbnh=116&tbnw=103&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0,i:107
The most typical depiction has him holding a staff and an orb and clad in flowing robes (but holding a sword and wearing armor is fairly common, though I suspect that's a later adaptation under Latin influence): http://www.google.com/imgres?q=st.+michael+the+archangel+icon&hl=en&safe=active&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=GP5lncNQ8KxPnM:&imgrefurl=http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/st-michael-the-archangel-and-other-angel-stories/&docid=91_Rc2S4KlFpxM&imgurl=http://fatherstephen.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/stmichael.jpg&w=290&h=365&ei=CfuXT5LQFqqg2gXo69WsBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=84&vpy=189&dur=141&hovh=252&hovw=200&tx=109&ty=150&sig=107173611202166177649&page=1&tbnh=114&tbnw=91&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:84
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cormack, Margaret Jean
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 4:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] St Michael
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Greetings all,
I'm reading an article in which the archangel Michael is fairly prominent, and in which he is described as, in effect, leading a cavalry charge of angels against the forces of evil. I am far more familiar with images of him fighting the devil in the form of a serpent, with a lance/spear as his weapon. My questions for the list is whether those of you familiar with the iconography can provide information about either pictures or texts which depict him:
1) on horseback
2) leading an angelic host, whether on horseback or on foot
3) wielding a sword
4) wielding a spear or lance
5) weighing souls
6) leading souls to heaven
and, of course, any combination of the above!
Thanks in advance,
Meg
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