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Bermejo's 'Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil'
Picture of the month November 2023
Curator Daniel Sobrino Ralston tells us why Bermejo's late Gothic-demon was the stuff of nightmares in its day
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About
Snakes for arms; scaly, avian legs; moth-like wings, and... a cactus?
Daniel Sabrino Ralston, CEEH Associate Curator for Spanish Paintings, explores Bermejo's painting of Saint Michael defeating the devil, a scene taken from the Book of Revelation.
The painting is 15th-century Spanish artist Bermejo's earliest documented work, and is widely considered the most important early Spanish painting in Britain.
See the painting's details close-up in our illustrated feature.
Digital activity at the National Gallery is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator
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