PIETER BREUGEL THE ELDER (ca. 1528 - 1569)
		The fall of the rebellious angels (1562) Archangel Michaël is getting even with his rebellious colleague Lucifer and his followers. This story symbolises how the decay of the church and its clergy was brought to a stand still in the 16th century.
PB04                              h. 15,5 cm Fallen Angel  Hovering but broken-winged with an insect-like abdomen, this fallen angel disappears into the underworld with a loud shriek. There he will undergo his punishment for being one of Lucifer's followers who haughtily thought he could dethrone the almighty God.	PB03                       h. 15,5 cm Gatekeeper  Hovering and helmeted with a silly knot this keeper, holding a pitchfork, looks at archangel Michaël conquering the rebellious angels and condemning them to eternal suffering in hell, by which their once so heavenly appearances decay into terrifying reptile-like monsters.	PB01                              h. 17,5 cm Fallen Angel with Clarion Transforming himself into a gigantic insect this fallen angel appears to raise his formerly heavenly clarion for the very last time to let its sound fill the heavens above, where archangel Michaël is still busy whacking his apostate colleagues into hell.	PB02                              h. 21,5 cm Monster with Knife  Amidst falling angels who have deteriorated into monsters and symbols of lust, unchastity and riotousness we find this dog-like creature, adorned with a showily turban. He too had been an angel once and his wreathed crown possibly refers to his haughty past, in which he chose to follow Lucifer in his ambition to take over God's place in heaven.
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