The Fight Between St. Michael and the Demons

Milan Duomo Stained-glass window V37

The Battle between Saint Michael and the Demons (1939 - 1947) by Giovanni BuffaVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano

The fight between St. Michael and the demons

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The stained-glass window V37 is located along the northern side of the Duomo and is a work of absolute originality compared to the Cathedral glassmaking tradition. It was commissioned by the Fabbrica to Giovanni Buffa (1871-1956) in the late 1930s.

The Battle between Saint Michael and the Demons (1939 - 1947) by Giovanni BuffaVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano

Good and Evil in a duel

Giovanni Battista Buffa made stained-glass window V37 between 1939 and 1947, a long gestation due to the slowdowns caused by the Second World War. The subject of the work seems very much in keeping with the spirit of his time: the Archangel Michael who defeats the demons.

The Archangel Michael

The name Michael in Hebrew "Mi-ka-El" means: "Who is like God?" and in the iconography he is represented as a fighter, he is the supreme leader of the celestial army, fighting against the demons.

The defender of the Church

The angelic hosts, led by the Archangel Michael, battle against the devils. The scene occupies the entire window, which shows itself to the eye with a disruptive dynamism and a decidedly bright color.

Arcimboldi mausoleum (1559)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano

Arcimboldi Mausoleum

The stained glass window 37 is located exactly above the Arcimboldi Monument, a mauseoleum built in 1559 and dedicated to three archbishops linked by a deep bond with the Ducale degli Sforza family.

Read more on Milan Cathedral Remixed.

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