Saint John Beholding the Seven Golden Candlesticks, from "The Apocalypse"
Original title: Saint John Beholding the Seven Golden Candlesticks, from "The Apocalypse"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike related sheets in the series, this woodcut by Albrecht Dürer places the evangelist John alone in the picture, beholding the seven golden lampstands of Revelation. The print belongs to Dürer's Apocalypse cycle and is made in the woodcut technique. John is enthroned at the center, holding a book and a quill, his gaze directed to the left toward the lampstands.
Description
John sits on a throne, dressed in a long robe, his hair and beard luminous. His left hand grasps a book, his right a quill — signs of his prophetic task. On either side stand two candlesticks each, seven in all. Clouds and a star fill the background and heighten the heavenly mood. The layout is symmetrical, with John as the focal point, executed in the monochrome tones of the woodcut.
Context
The woodcut series 'The Apocalypse' was made between 1496 and 1498 in Nuremberg. Dürer created this work in a time of religious unrest and apocalyptic expectations that stirred the population. As his own publisher, he achieved early commercial success with the series, thereby changing the art market. The sheet refers to the first chapter of the Revelation of John, in which the seer beholds the seven lampstands and Christ in their midst.
Impact
The detailed linework and clear organization of the figures give the sheet a solemn and at the same time dramatic presence. Through the symmetrical arrangement and the central position of John, the viewer's gaze is drawn directly to the visionary scene. The monochrome tonality and expressive shading create a dense, almost mystical atmosphere.
Technique
Dürer carved this image into a wooden block and printed it, using fine lines and varied hatching to model light and shadow. The precise cutting technique allows for a high level of detail, bringing out the symmetrical composition, the throne, the book and quill, and the seven golden lampstands with their clear structuring of figures and objects.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)