The Adoration of the Lamb, from "The Apocalypse"

The Adoration of the Lamb, from "The Apocalypse," is a pivotal woodcut created by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer in 1498. This dramatic print is the final and culminating image from Dürer's highly influential series illustrating the Book of Revelation. Produced during a period of widespread religious and apocalyptic anxiety at the close of the fifteenth century, the complete series cemented Dürer’s reputation across Europe as a leading graphic artist. The technical clarity and unprecedented detail achieved in this work significantly elevated the status of the woodcut medium from simple book illustration to a respected form of fine art.

The scene depicts the divine vision described in Revelation, centered around the mystical Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), an iconic Christian symbol of sacrifice and redemption. A great multitude of figures, including Men and robed saints, kneel in reverence around the central altar. While many of the preceding plates in the series focused on destruction and terror associated with the Apocalypse, this specific image offers a conclusion of hope and spiritual victory. Dürer utilizes bold, expressive lines, characteristic of his early work, to manage the complex composition and vast scale required for depicting the heavenly adoration of the Lambs.

As one of the most significant graphic works of the early Northern Renaissance, this sheet demonstrates Dürer’s unparalleled talent for narrative complexity within the restrictive limitations of the woodblock technique. Today, this influential print is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it serves as a cornerstone example of late 15th-century fine prints. Because of its age and cultural importance, this celebrated work is widely available in the public domain.