The Devil in Art history
Byzantine, Gothic and Northern Renaissance artists represented Christian culture and values. The Devil and his malicious cohorts were often depicted in a variety of forms. These spiritually significant symbols are complex and intriguing. Depictions of the Devil and hell became especially popular immediately after and during the plague.
Symbols of the Devil in Western Art
The Dragon - the emblem of heathen evil and Satan, the spiritual enemy of mankind. Saint Michael and Saint George are often depicted battling and slaying the dragon symbolizing their triumph over evil.
Snake - symbolizes Satan; the presence of evil, fall of man
The pitchfork and trident are both symbols of the Devil
Snake in a fruit tree - signifies the mans fall from grace as well as Satan's meddling in the affairs of men.
A snake brazenly slithering across the middle of a thoroughfare or road - symbolizing the False Prophet leading the way to hell.
A devious serpent peeking out of a basket, urn or pot - a spiritual reminder of Satan's presence in unusual places.
The Color Red - a symbol of greediness and lust. Denotes sin; sins of mankind, Satan, original sin; temptation, Judas, Harrowing of Hell, The Fiery Furnace, Slaughter of the Innocents, the Apocalypse .
Goat - symbol of the Devil. Satan is often depicted as a horned and hoofed goat-like creature.
A list of painters who often depicted the devil and the tortures of hell.
William Blake British, 1757-1827 Romantic Painter
Eugène Delacroix
French,
1798 - 1863 Romantic Painter
Lucas
Cranach German, 1472-1553 Northern
Renaissance Hieronymus
Bosch Dutch, 1450-1516 Late
Gothic, Surrealism Pieter
Brueghel the Elder
Dutch, 1525-1569 Northern Renaissance Albrecht
Dure
German,
1471 - 1528 Northern Renaissance
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A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light. Leonardo da Vinci
I dream my painting and I paint my dream. Vincent Van Gogh
I shut my eyes in order to see. Paul Gauguin
The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands. Leonardo da Vinci
Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. Edgar Degas
Absinthe is the only decent drink that suits an artist. Paul Gauguin
Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment. Claude Monet
Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. Leonardo da Vinci
Art is either revolution or plagiarism. Paul Gauguin
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo
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