Saint Michael

On December 3, 1888, the Council accepted the example of his work Blashfield had submitted to confirm his election as an Academician "subject to his right of replacing it with a more important one." Almost a year later, he exercised that right, making the "Saint Michael," his diploma contribution. Leonard Amico places "Saint Michael" with Blashfield's Bonnat-inspired paintings, calling it "among the finest and at the same time the most restrained of these works."