Artwork by Masaki Hirokawa
Lucifer
宵の明星
About the Work
Lucifer was originally a name meaning “the bringer of light,” and it also referred to the morning star—Venus. In older contexts, it was simply a name for the intense light seen before dawn.
Over time, however, the name took on a different character through Christian interpretation. In the Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah includes a passage that compares a fallen king to the “morning star.” Through translation and later reinterpretation, that expression became associated with “Lucifer.” As a result, Lucifer came to be spoken of as “the one who fell from heaven,” and was eventually fixed in the imagination as a fallen angel—and ultimately, a symbol of the devil.
In these traditions, Lucifer is portrayed as the most beautiful and highest-ranking of angels. Yet he is said to have fallen through pride and rebellion, cast out as one who turned against God. The reasons vary by story: some describe resentment toward God for favoring humanity, while others emphasize a downfall brought on by intoxication with his own power and beauty.
After the fall, Lucifer is sometimes identified with Satan, and is also depicted as the leader of fallen angels. He is known as a deceiver who takes on the appearance of an angel of light, and later legends add that he was defeated by the Archangel Michael and sealed in the depths of the earth.
In this sense, Lucifer is a figure who carries the transformation of “light” into a symbol of temptation and deceit. The pattern is clear: one who stood at the highest place, brought down by pride. That entire arc is condensed into the name Lucifer.
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