The Lucifer of Liège is one of the most remarkable pieces of art in Europe. The background is the Saint Paul’s Cathedral in the French-speaking part of Belgium, a place of worship from the tenth century.
Like to be expected, the cathedral is full of magnificent religious artwork, fascinating paintings, representations of Biblical, and saints. It is in all ways the definition of a Catholic temple of Christianity, but it is also the home of one of the most notorious angels.
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In the cathedral, you can see a beautiful marble statue of a handsome young man who seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Is he a martyr, disciple or an angel?
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It is indeed an angel but one of the darker kind, a fallen angel who reflect an enormous tragedy. It looks like a sinner is living in the cathedral. Not just any adept of the devil but a close accomplice in the midst of saints.
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The statue received a place in the cathedral in 1948 and named ‘Le genie du mal’ (the genius of evil), better known as ‘The Lucifer of Liège’.
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Typically for catholic artworks is has a ‘mandoria’ an oval form who represents the sainthood of the figure. This is a huge paradox. The mandoria here is very obscure and the wings of the angel look like bat wings to emphasize the darkness of the character.
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The Lucifer of Liège is nude and only covered by a blanket to show the chillness of the character. It is nothing more than a little warning that under a nice appearance a demon might hide. Upon closer examination of the structure, you can discover sinister details.
Between the hairs, you can find a pair of horns. The tear that is escaping from his eyes to his left cheek is a sign of defeat. The fear for a punishment fit for a fallen angel. Some think it represents remorse and sorrow.
On the side, we see a broken scepter and a crown in chained hands, a romantic point of view symbolizing lost power. The apple at the bottom of his feet with a piece bitten out is a reference to the forbidden fruit. The symbolism of the banishment from Earth’s paradise is everywhere. The statue is so strong and beautiful that it generates a kind of sympathy for the devil.
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It is ironic that this statue is a substitute for a previous statue that was to complementing for the devil. The build that is now standing in the cathedral is from Guillaume Geefs. The inauguration in 1843 ignited by a true scandal and moved to the Royal Museum of Brussels. The first statue received the name: ‘L’Ange du mal’ (the bad angel). Strangely enough, the brother of Guillaume made this statue: Josef Geefs.
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Both statues give a flattering version of Lucifer; it is like both pieces show an Adonis version of evil. It is still not clear what Lucifer is doing in this Cathedral. Good or evil… the story of all ages…Dan Brown could write a marvelous story about this.
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