The Seven Angels with the Trumpets

The Seven Angels with the Trumpets by Albrecht Dürer, executed in 1498, is a masterwork of the Northern Renaissance and a foundational piece in the history of graphic art. This highly detailed print, created using the demanding woodcut technique on laid paper, demonstrates Dürer’s pioneering efforts to elevate printmaking from a simple illustrative medium to a vehicle for sophisticated artistic expression. As the leading figure in German art during the transitional period from 1401 to 1500, Dürer transformed the capabilities of the medium, enabling wider dissemination of his complex theological and stylistic ideas across Europe.

This piece is one of the most recognized images from Dürer’s celebrated fifteen-sheet series illustrating the Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse). The series captures the intense spiritual and millennial anxieties prevalent at the close of the fifteenth century. In this specific scene, Dürer dramatically renders the moment described in Revelation 8, where the seven angels are given trumpets to announce the final divine judgments upon the earth. The complex composition utilizes deep contrasts and intricate cross-hatching, defining the dynamic movement and cataclysmic power inherent in the vision. The technical complexity and dramatic flair shown here are characteristic of Dürer’s mature period.

The high artistic standard evident in this woodcut confirms its status as an iconic contribution to Western graphic arts. This exceptional impression of The Seven Angels with the Trumpets resides in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to its historical significance and age, high-resolution imagery of Dürer’s prints are frequently made available by institutions and are generally considered part of the public domain.