Satan Rides and Drives the World
Medium
charcoal and white chalk on gray paper
Dimensions
sheet: 23.6 × 36 cm (9 5/16 × 14 3/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Purchased as the Gift of Dian Woodner
Accession Number
2014.52.1
Art Historical Context
In the National Gallery of Art's collection, Francesco Paolo Michetti's *Satan Rides and the World* (1882) captivates with its brooding intensity. This intimate drawing, executed in charcoal and white chalk on paper (23.6 × 36 cm), exemplifies Michetti's mastery as a late 19th-century Italian artist. Known for his poetic realism and ties to the Scapigliatura movement—a rebellious Milanese group blending Romanticism with social critique—Michetti often explored human drama through expressive sketches. The title evokes a powerful allegory, likely critiquing the chaotic forces of modernity, indus...