The Fallen Angel: The Shocking Painting of the Devil that Nearly Destroyed a 24-Year-Old Genius

Painted almost 180 years ago in 1847, The Fallen Angel, created by Alexandre Cabanel when he was just 24 years old, still has the power to engage, to captivate, to horrify – you name the emotion, people will experience it when they see this painting for the first time.  When I first saw it in my teenage years, I was amazed that Cabanel got away with something so daring, so risqué, so controversial at such a young age.  The truth is – he didn’t get away with it.  Like the Lucifer of Liege, which we covered several years ago, the story of both Cabanel and his painting of the devil is a little more complex.

The picture could have been career-ending for a young artist at this particular point of time.  Cabanel was not expected to take on such challenging subjects at such a young age – and not only that, he presents Satan as an astonishingly beautiful young man.  The painting’s reception was scathing, something which (rightly) incensed the young painter.  I will leave the bulk of the story to the great video by Inspiraggio (great name for a YouTube channel) below, but I’m happy to say that Cabanel went on to a long and illustrious career – his most praised work, ironically, would be the Death of Moses, painted in 1851.

Like Cabanel, The Fallen Angel we see here is down but certainly not out.  The eyes are perhaps the most remarkable part of the composition.  Look at them – is it anger, resentment, regret, or hatred we can see?  Ultimately, it’s up to you. However, this painting has had a host of earthly admirers and detractors in its long history.  If you are a science-fiction fan, you may look at the expression in the eyes, the way that the arms are held, and wonder where you have seen that before.  It is believed that George Lucas was inspired by the painting when filming the final showdown between Anakin Skywalker and his old Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

How true or not this is, I cannot say, not having a direct line to Mr Lucas.  However, for this history of The Fallen Angel and its reception, take a look at the fascinating video below.