The Babylonian Whore
Original title: The Babylonian Whore
kurzbeschreibung
This undated woodcut by Albrecht Dürer gives form to the apocalyptic vision of the Whore of Babylon from the Book of Revelation. In the foreground, a crowd in contemporary dress presses around a large winged creature with several heads and horns, holding a chalice. Angels, clouds, and fire and smoke rising from a building appear behind them.
Description
A great winged being with multiple heads and horns, grasping a chalice, dominates the picture. Before it stand people in clothing of the period, their faces registering a range of emotions. Angels hover in a turbulent sky while flames and smoke pour from a structure. Mountains and a river divide the landscape; the entire sheet is printed in a single color as a woodcut.
Context
The woodcut was probably made in the early 16th century, when Europe was torn by fierce religious conflict. The Whore of Babylon comes from Revelation, chapter 17, and during the Reformation she was often read as a symbol of the Catholic Church. Dürer, who sympathized with reformist ideas, returned to apocalyptic subjects several times in his prints.
Impact
The wealth of detail and the dramatic sky give the sheet an immediate urgency. Realistic figures meet fantastic creatures, producing an oppressive, visionary mood that draws the viewer into the biblical end-time scene.
Technique
The printed surface consists of paper and monochrome printing ink, with preservation evident in the sheet's condition. Dürer's fine cuts and hatching, visible as crisp lines and tonal shading, create depth and detail in the biblical scene.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)