Simon Ushakov was known as one of the artists who brought in secular painting to late 17th century Russia. His style mixed the rigidity of the Byzantine empire with the bright colours and religious tenor of the Baroque period; as a result his style is mainly attributed to the Baroque.
This icon of the archangel defeating the devil has echoes across various points in history and is a classic depiction of the divine or good triumphing over the evil ones. Paintings like these played an important role in keeping the religious fervour among the masses high during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. This was due to a big section of the congregation being the working class, who were largely illiterate, and found faith in the beauty and divinity of the icons and the paintings created of religious figures.
The golden armour is painted using heavy linework creating rigidity and a static effect that draws the eye towards the holy face of archangel Michael. The reds of the archangel's cloak and tights are meshed with gold embellishments and blend smoothly into each other creating movement throughout the painting and leading the viewer towards the bottom of the painting, where the outlined form of the devil lies.
The devil and all the other fallen angels are mere sketches and lines, perhaps intentional to show their insignificance compared to the Archangel. There are other figures around the angel, who are probably saints, with some of them holding books in their hand or clasping their hands. They are drawn in detail, however they are not coloured.
Despite adopting Western chiaroscuro and perspective, Ushakov never completely abandoned Orthodox theology. The light illuminating Saint Michael does not come from a single worldly lamp or sun; it emanates from the archangel himself. This retains the Orthodox concept of Tabor Light (the uncreated light of God), ensuring that despite its European aesthetic, the icon remains a sacred, devotional window into the Kingdom of Heaven.
