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The Archangel Michael: M.73 & A-1930

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An image of Brooch
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Titles

The Archangel Michael

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Branched red coral, carved in relief in the form of a winged figure of the Archangel Michael, who wears a plumed helmet, tunic, breastplate(?), billowing cloak and long, sandle-like boots. He holds an orb and cross in his left hand and a sword aloft in his right as he stands upon the legs of the vanquished Devil, who lies curved beneath his feet. The faun-like Devil has a horned head and goat's legs and hooves. His right hand points upwards towards the angel's right leg. His left hand rests on, or holds, below his head, the body of a curved snake that extends from behind the Devil’s left arm; its dog-like head in profile below the Devil’s own.

On the back, inset into the coral in two places, are two damaged gold-alloy mounts (a hinge-plate, above, and a catch-plate, below; both broken and incomplete) for a vertical hinged brooch-pin, now missing. The hinge-plate has remnants of silver-copper alloy on top, probably silver solder. In separate case (A).

Notes

History note: For possible earlier provenance, see Free field (public) ; Frank Smart Collection; T.J.G. Duncanson, MA, Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Given by T.J.G. Duncanson

Measurements and weight

Height: 13.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1930-02-14) by Duncanson, T. J. G.

Dating

17th Century-18th Century
Circa 1600 - 1800

Components of the work

Part composed of gold alloy ( Two broken fittings from missing brooch pin, on reverse. The colour suggests gold-copper alloy, probably 9ct gold. The upper mount additionally has remnants of silver solder (silver-copper alloy). Both mounts are adhered to the reverse with old discoloured adhesive, perhaps animal glue.) coral
Coral
Silver Solder

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.73 & A-1930
Primary reference Number: 119034
Old object number: M.2-1930

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 24 September 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "The Archangel Michael" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/119034 Accessed: 2025-12-05 04:12:31

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/119034 |title=The Archangel Michael |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 04:12:31|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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