Albrecht Dürers Apocalypse

The Revelation of St John: Title page to the edition of 1498

                In the fifteenth century, one of, and possibly, the most notable German fine artist was Albrecht Dürer. At the time, one of Dürer’s major claims to fame was his series of woodcuts, Apocalypse with Pictures, published 1498. The historical popularity of Apocalypse shows the significance of Christendom to the German people during the Northern Renaissance. While this book of woodcuts was published pre-Reformation, there were already political and religious revolutions brewing, especially with the popular belief of nearing end-times. Initially two versions were published: Latin and German. The accessibility of the illustrations with and based on the German vernacular translation (Koberger's Bible) of selections from Revelation added to Apocalypse’s, and ergo Dürer’s, fame.

                Dürer’s Apocalypse featured fifteen woodcuts depicting scenes and ideas described in the Book of Revelation.  Stylistically Dürer breached the German Gothic form with a heavy classical Italian influence, utilizing the practices of printmaking which were particularly advanced in German lands due to demand for illustrations, even though they were seen as artistically inferior.  Dürer’s mastery of these techniques can be seen in several of his works, but one of his most striking pieces is found in Apocalypse.   “The Four Riders of the Apocalypse” is Dürer’s depiction of Revelation 6: 1-8, where John envisions the first four of seven seals opening, releasing the four horsemen: Conquest, War, Death, and Famine.  In prophetic interpretations of John’s visions in Revelation, the seals opening are signs of the impending apocalypse and ultimate judgment of humanity.

Albrecht Dürer, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Unknown artist: Woodcut from the Cologne Bible of 1479 representing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

                In Dürer’s illustration of the Four Horsemen, the riders are depicted as four facets to the same fateful occurrence, contrasting with the widely accepted belief in fifteenth-century Germany which explains the riders- the calamities they symbolize- occur distinctly.  While biblically inaccurate, this interpretation is compositionally advantageous, creating a strong sense of cohesion and direction in the piece, due to the four riders forming a line, facing the same direction.  Drawing on the trend in Italian art, Dürer incorporated kinetics of living figures while contrasting with still and traditional German imagery, such as the noble in mouth of hell.   Dürer’s Apocalypse gave the German people an understandable and thrilling representation of a future they believed was not so distant.