The Martyrdom of St. John, from The Apocalypse

The Martyrdom of St. John, from The Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, is a seminal print created between 1496 and 1498. This powerful image is rendered as a woodcut in black on tan laid paper, demonstrating the artist’s revolutionary approach to the medium. Dürer elevated the technical complexity of the woodcut, traditionally seen as a cruder form of illustration, transforming it into a vehicle for high artistic drama and detailed composition during the pivotal early years of the German Renaissance.

Produced early in Dürer’s career, this piece belongs to his famed series illustrating the Book of Revelation. The scene depicts the attempted execution of St. John the Evangelist, traditionally said to have occurred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, where the saint was immersed in a massive cauldron of boiling oil. The graphic intensity and dramatic interplay of light and shadow characterize the nascent Renaissance style emerging across Germany. Dürer’s tightly controlled composition focuses intensely on the callous tormentors and the stoic, unharmed victim, establishing a new visual standard for religious printmaking across Europe.

The mastery Dürer displayed in works like this was instrumental in establishing his international reputation. Unlike earlier, more static compositions, Dürer infused his prints with energy and textural depth, achieving a level of detail previously reserved for copperplate engraving. As a foundational piece of the German printmaking tradition, this work is a highlight of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection. Given its age and cultural significance, the legacy of Dürer’s The Martyrdom of St. John remains accessible to scholars and the public today.