Apocalypsis cum Figuris (1511, Met-Objekt 206)
Original title: Apocalypsis cu Figuris
kurzbeschreibung
The 'Apocalypsis cum Figuris' brings together woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer from 1511. In this print, a man sits in a room, holding a book and appearing to expound it. The page is executed as a woodcut and belongs to Dürer's renowned Apocalypse series.
Description
A seated man holds an open book; his other hand points or explains. He wears a long-sleeved robe and a head covering reminiscent of a bishop's mitre. A window reveals a landscape with mountains and a river; to the right stands a figure with an object. Below the window is a table with various items, and at the bottom edge one reads the inscribed text 'Magister Magnus S.p. Pfess'.
Context
Dürer's Apocalypse series first appeared in Nuremberg in 1498; a new edition followed in 1511, expanded with additional woodcuts. The series illustrates the Revelation of John and was among the important printing projects of its time, with which Dürer consolidated his reputation as a woodcutter. The scene shown might present an author or seer receiving or writing down divine revelation.
Impact
The layout appears balanced and draws attention to the central figure; his gestures and head covering give him a dignified, instructive presence. Stark black-and-white contrasts and clear lines lend the sheet a striking graphic presence, characteristic of Dürer's woodcut art.
Technique
The scene is presented in a vertical format that frames the interior with the seated man as its central element, with the window and its landscape view occupying the upper right and a text line running along the lower margin. This arrangement allows the monochrome linear structure to guide the eye evenly across the sheet, balancing the figure against the architectural and landscape details.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)