The Vision of the Seven Candlesticks, from The Apocalypse

The Vision of the Seven Candlesticks, from The Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, is a pivotal work of the German Renaissance and a key piece in the artist's foundational series, The Apocalypse. Created between 1496 and 1498, this powerful image is executed as a woodcut print in black ink on tan laid paper. Dürer’s revolutionary approach elevated the medium of the woodcut, transforming it from a simple illustrative technique into a vehicle for high artistic expression characterized by dramatic intensity and meticulous detail. This piece, along with the other fifteen prints in the series, established the 20-something Dürer as the premier printmaker in Germany.

The subject illustrates the opening chapter of the Book of Revelation, where Saint John the Evangelist receives his divine vision on the island of Patmos. John is shown kneeling in awe before the majestic figure of Christ, who holds the seven stars and is surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks representing the churches of Asia Minor. Dürer masterfully uses the stark contrasts inherent in the medium to convey the supernatural light emanating from the visionary figure, dramatically intensifying the spiritual awe of the moment. The creation of this work, executed on the cusp of the 16th century, tapped directly into the widespread apocalyptic anticipation felt across Northern Europe. This impressive example of Dürer's early mastery resides in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a crucial document of late fifteenth-century graphic prints.