The Battle between the Angel and the Dragon

In chapter twelve of the Apocalypse, Saint John the Evangelist envisions the Archangel Michael fighting with two other angels in heaven to cast out the dragon that had threatened the woman clothed in the sun. From the margin of the page, Saint John watches this scene, which is described and analyzed in the text and commentary below. While three sinuous dragons twist and turn beneath the attacking angels, their opponents beat them back with swords and spears. The elegance of the three angels' appearance, seen in their fluttering tunics and carefully coifed curls, is balanced by the naturalism of their physical forms. For example, the artist exposed the exertion of the angel on the right, who raises himself on the toes of his right foot to lend more force to his efforts.