Art Deco Double-Sided Pendant

“Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.”—Revelation 12:7

 

An angelic warrior, Saint Michael is often depicted in art with a sword, hurling down Satan in the form of a dragon.

 

This French Art Deco pendant from 1920s depicts Saint Michael in shiny armor and wavy sword.

 

Next to the battle scene inscribed "QUIS UT DEUS", a Latin sentence meaning "Who is like God?" — which is a literal translation of Michael's name, while also being seen as his rhetorical and scornful question to Satan.

 

The back of the pendant showcases a lifelike version of Mont-Saint-Michel, a rocky islet off the coast of Normandy, France.

 

The island was originally called Mont-Tombe but became known as Mont-Saint-Michel in the 8th century, when bishop Aubert of Avranches built an oratory there after dreaming about the archangel St. Michael.