St. Michael and the Dragon

This statuette is made by an unknown artist in the late 15th century in Siegburg, Germany and represents the standing figure of archangel Michael and the dragon. The archangel is holding a small shield in his left hand and in his right a lance with which he strikes the dragon at his feet.

The material is pipeclay, which is a fine white clay also used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which also pipe-clay figures were fired.

This figure was cast from a two-part mould and is characteristic of the small mass-produced images that, like woodcuts, were cheaply available by 1500. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipe-clay figures were also fired.