Pere Vall
St. Michael and St. Amator

Spanish, circa 1405
Tempera and gold on wood
Indiana Museum of Art

As usual St. Michael is in armor and vanquishing a dragon. The saints stand before a cabinet that looks like those in church sacristies.

St. Amator (Amadour in France, Amador in Spain) is the reputed husband of the legendary St. Veronica. In French legends he is said to have traveled with Veronica, Mary Magdalene, and other notable Christians to the south of France after being driven out of Palestine. When Veronica died he became a hermit, living on a cliff that in later times became known as Rocamadour ("Amator's cliff"), a pilgrimage site even to this day (Acta Sanctorum, February vol. 1, 453; Butler III, 366). His feast is on August 20.

Read more about St. Michael, St. Veronica, and St. Mary Magdalene.

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• Iconography of St. Michael
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Source: Indiana Museum of Art