The Apocalypse incunabulum by Albrecht Dürer: one of the greatest artistic and financial successes of the artist of the century due to its impressive woodcuts
Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
Nuremberg (Germany) — 1498

Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
Nuremberg (Germany) — 1498
Some of the most iconic images of the Renaissance were created by the great Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528)
Dürer’s masterpiece, published in 1498, was an instant success financially
Dürer captured the upheavals and chaos of late-medieval Europe in the haunting imagery

Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
Martyrdom of St. John
Although the depiction of St. John being plunged into a vat of boiling oil is not uncommon, this woodcut of the archetypal scene is extraordinary for its realism and detail. John is depicted with long flowing locks, much like Dürer himself, who often inserted himself into his compositions. The body posturing of his two tormentors is remarkable: the man in the turban works the bellows while squatting on the balls of his feet and the other pulls back from the heat as he pours on more oil.
Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
- Apocalypsis cum Figuris
- Apocalipsis con figuras de Alberto Durero
- Apokalypse von Dürer
Short Description
The Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer is a collection of woodcuts, which recount the events from the biblical text of The Book of Revelation. Dürer produced this graphic collection in Nuremberg in 1498. It became a great financial success and today is counted among Dürer’s great masterpieces.
Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was the most famous Renaissance artist in Germany. His paintings, drawings, woodcuts, and engravings enjoyed worldwide renown. His works and writings on scientific theories are counted among the most important works of the Late Middle Ages and particularly influenced German and Dutch artists. Dürer’s Apocalypse with Pictures is one of the most beautiful and important works of the universally talented master. It is a collection of fifteen engravings that visually depict the events of the Apocalypse, the last book of the Bible.
A Time of Upheaval
The Apocalypse with Pictures is no commissioned work, but rather Dürer designed, realized, and published it on his own initiative. He conceivably dedicated himself to the theme that he and his contemporaries lived in a world characterized by eschatological expectations and full of political and religious upheavals. The interest in tales of the end of the world and of the Day of Judgment was great among the population. It was published only a few years before the Reformation. The work met with great financial success. It was sold countless times and brought Dürer a considerable lifelong income.
Sensational Woodcuts
The pictures of Dürer’s Apocalypse are considered to be true wonder works of German art. It consists of 15 miniatures in black-and-white. The artist, with his gripping illustrations, managed to create the greatest effect possible completely without color. The spooky pictures of monsters, angels, and saints shortly before the downfall of the world remain in the memory of every beholder. The depiction of the Four Riders of the Apocalypse attained especially great fame and is counted among Dürer’s greatest masterpieces. The pictures show the crossovers between medieval and Renaissance art in a perfect way. The astonishing masterpiece is found today in the Spanish National Library in Madrid.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Apocalypsis cum Figuris
Apocalipsis con figuras de Alberto Durero
Apokalypse von Dürer - Size / Format
- 32 pages / 39.3 × 29.3 cm
- Origin
- Nuremberg (Germany)
- Date
- 1498
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 15 prints
- Artist / School
- Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528)
Printer: Anton Koberger

Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
This famous woodcut is a visual avalanche of motion depicting in detail the irresistible onslaught of the Four Horseman. Although depicted together, their staggered approach indicates that they come in succession. As they trample the people of the world under their hooves, a bishop wearing a miter has his head chomped by a fanged serpent – a sign of the nascent Reformation?
The hindermost horseman is the first, the white horse sent out conquering armed with a bow. The second, the red horse, is armed with a sword, who takes peace from the Earth setting men against one another. With scales in hand, the rider of the black horse brings famine and pestilence. Finally, the pale horse, who appears skeletal as does his rider for he is Death and brings Hell with him.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Apocalypse with Pictures by Albrecht Dürer“
Apocalipsis con figuras de Alberto Durero
- Publisher
- CM Editores – Salamanca, 2009
- Binding
- Brown leather
- Commentary
-
1 volume
- More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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