Archangel Raphael and the Miracle of the Sea Monster

Description The archangel Raphael is depicted standing above a church built in his honor. The painting illustrates the dramatic highpoint in a story that explains Raphael's relationship to the church. According to legend, soon after the church's completion, the ground beneath the building began to shake, and it became evident that the structure was built on the back of a sea monster. Raphael speared the monster, saving the church and its congregation from destruction. Raphael's spear is shown descending down through the building; it is likely that the missing portion of the canvas featured the sea monster.

Exhibitions

• Angels of Light: Ethiopian Art from the Walters Art Museum. Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham; Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton; Museum of Biblical Art, New York. 2006-2007.

Provenance Paul Stewart, London [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Sam Fogg, London, 1988 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 2001, by purchase.

Credit Museum purchase with funds provided by an anonymous donor, 2001