Saint Michael Fighting the Dragon, from "The Apocalypse"

Saint Michael Fighting the Dragon, from "The Apocalypse" is a highly influential woodcut by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer, produced during the period of 1485-1528. This monumental print is part of Dürer’s famous fifteen-piece series illustrating the Book of Revelation, which revolutionized the status of prints as a fine art form in Northern Europe. The dramatic composition captures the moment when the Archangel Saint Michael, the captain of the heavenly hosts, battles the monstrous, multi-headed Dragon representing Satan.

Dürer’s masterful use of line and dense hatching creates a powerful sense of drama and texture, elevating the complexity achievable in woodcuts. Saint Michael, clad in armor and wielding a spear, dominates the celestial scene, while below him, the horrors of the Apocalypse unfold upon the terrestrial world. The sheer scale and detail of this piece showcase Dürer’s ability to imbue the traditionally rough medium of the woodcut with the precision previously reserved for engraving. This work’s commercial and artistic success demonstrated the potential of mass-produced religious prints for widespread dissemination and influence.

As one of the most recognized depictions of Saint Michael Fighting the Dragon in art history, the work embodies the intense theological anxieties and profound artistry of the era. This significant piece resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a cornerstone example of High Renaissance German graphic arts. Due to its age and historical importance, high-resolution images of this Dürer print are widely available in the public domain for study and appreciation.