St John Devours the Book

From Apocalipsis cum Figuris (Apocalypse)

Illustrated by Albrecht Dürer

Dürer's St John Devours the Book depicts one element of the ecstatic vision experienced by St John.

Mrs Charles W Heaton (The History of the Life of Albrecht Durer of Nurnberg with a Translation of His Letters and

Journal and Some Accounts of His Work: Seeley, Jackson and Halliday, London; 1881), in an early comprehensive

biographical work, provides the following description of this wonderful illustration:

Dürer's extraordinary and powerful rendering of this angel must be seen in order to

be conceived. It is impossible to describe so strange a form. At first sight, this woodcut

strikes us as being grotesque and ludicrous, and one can hardly help laughing at the

poor Evangelist who kneels on a promontory, and has the extreme right-hand corner

of the big book that is presented to him by the angel already in his mouth, and is

apparently in great danger of choking with it. This, I say, is the first idea on beholding

this illustration, but after a time the solemn earnestness of the artist, and the grandeur

of his conception of that mighty angel whose voice 'was as the voice of seven thunders,'

takes hold of the imagination, and one becomes haunted by that mysterious cloud-body,

and that awful face breaking forth from the sun. The solid column feet and legs also,

that end in flames at the knees, give a most curious appearance to the whole. A

sea-monster of dolphin form swims out at sea, and near the shore two peaceful swans

are floating along, quite unruffled by the strange phenomena around them.
 

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In the meantime, enjoy perusing this glorious illustration by Albrecht Dürer.

The illustration

	Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope) Code: AD SJDB SGC Price: US$5.00   Reproduction on 8x12" sheet Code: AD SJDB (8x12) Price: US$30.00     Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: AD SJDB (12x18) Price: US$60.00

Some details from the illustration

The Angel whose face was like the Sun	St John devouring the Book