Archangel Lucifer

This artwork was inspired by Jacob Epstein’s sculpture “Lucifer” (1944-45).

In early mythologies Lucifer, Satan and Devil were three different names for the same angel. “Lucifer” was name of this angel when he lived in heaven. “Satan” and “Devil” are the names for this angel after its fall, when he became “evil“. Then Lucifer became the personification of the sin of pride, while Satan – personification of the sin of wrath.
The peculiarity of Lucifer in the fallen pantheon of rebellious archangels is confused in the history of cultures. Anyway, Lucifer’s deeds took place much before the creation of man. What is left for us is that Lucifer later in history came to personify Pride aspect of human sinfulness while Satan with whom Lucifer was fused before – wrath/rage aspect. To differentiate pride from rage is psychologically very important for human development. Proclivity for “pride” without anger/rage has an important positive side, as soon as we don’t live in an authoritarian/totalitarian society where pride is always fused with anger and is really destructive.
The point here is that cultural tradition of philosophers, scholars, scientists and artists in human history is beneficial for human societies as soon as the results of their creativity are not appropriated by the people of power and greed. Creation of new ideas is impossible without the non-conformist streak. Lucifer’s touch can be benevolent and enrich society. If today we will not differentiate between being responsible non-conformists able to discover new ways of handling the old and new problems, and, on the other hand, belligerency, intolerance and desire to force our ways on others, we can lose the only way out of the old traps endangering the future of our specie.
Epstein’s “Lucifer” personifies pride purified from anger and for this reason from “pride“. It is pride transformed into a respect for creative innovation. It is in this particularity of Epstein’s interpretation of “Lucifer” that we see the magic of this sculpture. In Epstein’s “Lucifer” we see the one who is suffering about and even sensitively averted from the fallen reality of human life. Pride without anger is courage and a daring to have your own particular point of view on the world. It is the basis of a democratic society. Democracy tries to cultivate this individualism without the need to impose one’s personality on other people, without fearing and hating otherness of others, without aggression for those who resist “our ways” as model for everybody.
Look at Lucifer’s hands, as if he doesn’t want to touch the reality of the world, not because it is “dirty” but because it is a “dirtily” authoritarian and violent.
How suffering he is but without any irritation or anger or condemnation – it’s suffering completely internalized, without any scapegoating projection, completely contained.
The face we see here is that of Archangel Lucifer, not the demon.
Epstein’s Lucifer is not externalizing his grief about human condition into rage and aggressiveness, he keeps it to himself – he is much more psychologically developed than he is in conservative perception identifying him with Satan – the demon of rage that is paradigmatic foundation of rivalry, clash, hate and wars. The pantomime of tormenting disgust for ordinary life of hate and fight for success that we observe in the hands of Epstein’s Lucifer are felt by every philosopher, scholar, scientist and artist who are trying to open new horizons for human life, exactly because they cannot accept the barbaric reality of human life as it is.

From Jacob Epstein’s “Lucifer”.

In the Bible tells of the beauty of Lucifer. “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor." Ezekiel 28:17
Actuality he is one of the most beautiful of all of God’s creation. Ezekiel 28 tells us that Lucifer was “the anointed cherub.” These statements by God referring to Lucifer show him to be the most exalted creature that God created. God says of him, “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” Satan was the wisest creature God ever created. No other angel, no other being was created with the intelligence and beauty that God gave to him. The Bible tells us that this creation is “perfect in beauty.” Apart from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Lucifer was the highest being created. 

From The Beauty of Satan.