The Beast with Seven Heads and the Beast with Lamb's Horns, from "The Apocalypse"

The Beast with Seven Heads and the Beast with Lamb's Horns, from "The Apocalypse" by Albrecht Dürer, is a dramatic woodcut created between 1497 and 1498. This monumental print belongs to Dürer's celebrated fifteen-sheet series illustrating the Book of Revelation, which cemented his reputation as the preeminent graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance. The series fundamentally elevated the woodcut medium, demonstrating Dürer’s ability to infuse it with the detailed articulation and dramatic intensity previously reserved for engraving.

The scene illustrates Revelation Chapter 13, depicting the rise of the two destructive forces central to the narrative of the End Times. The terrifying creature emerging from the sea, crowned with seven heads, contrasts sharply with the deceitful second beast, identifiable by its deceptive lamb’s horns, who operates as the False Prophet. Dürer masterfully uses complex, layered cross-hatching and varied line weights to achieve deep chiaroscuro and rich textures, heightening the apocalyptic terror of the vision.

Produced during a period of widespread millennial anxiety in late 15th-century Nuremberg, the work resonated deeply with its contemporary audience. This influential piece is considered a cornerstone of German Renaissance prints. As an historically significant object, the impression of this woodcut is housed within the vast collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its status as public domain artwork, high-quality images and prints of this powerful composition remain widely studied and accessible today.