Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from "The Apocalypse"

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from "The Apocalypse" is perhaps the most famous single print created by Albrecht Dürer between 1492 and 1502. This dramatic scene is the central image in his monumental fifteen-piece woodcut series dedicated to the biblical Book of Revelation. The creation of the series marked a pivotal moment in art history, demonstrating Dürer's ability to elevate the woodcut medium from mere craft into a sophisticated, highly expressive art form. This impression of the revolutionary print resides within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dürer interprets the terrifying vision of Revelation 6, depicting the simultaneous charge of the four allegorical riders: Conquest (the crowned archer), War (wielding a sword), Famine (holding a scale), and Death (the aged figure on the gaunt horse). The composition is characterized by overwhelming energy, created through the cascading diagonal movement of the powerful horses and the struggling men being trampled below. Unlike earlier medieval interpretations, Dürer combines all four figures into a single, unified onslaught, maximizing the dramatic effect of the unfolding Apocalypse.

Dürer’s technical skill is evident in the dense network of lines he carved into the wood block, utilizing sophisticated hatching and cross-hatching to achieve unprecedented levels of detail and three-dimensional modeling in the finished print. Published and personally marketed by Dürer himself shortly before the turn of the sixteenth century, this series resonated deeply with a public experiencing widespread religious and social anxiety. The enduring power of these iconic prints remains immense, and due to the work's classification and cultural importance, high-resolution reproductions are widely available through public domain archives worldwide.