The Seven Angels with the Trumpets, from "The Apocalypse", Latin Edition

The Seven Angels with the Trumpets, from "The Apocalypse", Latin Edition by Albrecht Dürer is a masterful woodcut dating from 1511. This seminal print belongs to the artist's highly influential Apocalypse series, a revolutionary body of work originally published in 1498, but reissued by Dürer in 1511 with a full Latin text on the verso. As a central figure of the German Renaissance, Dürer utilized the woodcut medium not only for its dramatic linear potential but also for its capacity to disseminate complex theological narratives quickly across Europe, profoundly defining visual standards for biblical illustration for generations.

The dramatic composition captures the moment of terrifying divine intervention and tribulation described in the Book of Revelation. The central focus is the terrifying descent of the Seven Angels, positioned among churning clouds, sounding their colossal Trumpets. Below them, the mortal world descends into chaos. Human Figures flee in terror, their diminutive scale emphasizing the overwhelming power of the celestial event. Dürer details the universal destruction with precision; overturned Boats sink into turbulent seas, and Birds plummet dramatically from the sky, illustrating the scope of the judgment foretold. Dürer’s expert use of line work elevates the woodcut, giving the entire scene intense emotional depth and movement.

This powerful depiction, sometimes referred to simply as The Seven Angels, demonstrates Dürer’s unparalleled ability to render complex narratives of chaos and light using only black and white. Today, this important piece of the Apocalypse series resides within the expansive prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Because of its age and cultural significance, the original work is often treated as public domain material, ensuring widespread access to high-resolution copies of Dürer's seminal prints for scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.