St Michael and his legend

This monumental panel depicting Saint Michael and episodes from his legend is one of the major surviving works by Coppo di Marcovaldo, the leading Florentine painter before Cimabue. Dating to around 1250, it combines a central iconic image of the archangel with surrounding narrative scenes in the tradition of hagiographic dossals. Coppo's vigorous and expressive style established a distinctly Florentine approach to panel painting that moved beyond strict Byzantine conventions while retaining their monumental grandeur.

Executed in egg tempera and gold on a large shaped panel, the work showcases Coppo's bold modeling technique with strong contrasts of light and shadow in the archangel's face. The surrounding narrative compartments display dynamic figural compositions with a confidence of drawing that anticipates Cimabue's later innovations.