The Whore of Babylon, from "The Apocalypse"

"The Whore of Babylon, from 'The Apocalypse'" is a powerful woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer between 1497 and 1498. This piece belongs to Dürer’s monumental series of fifteen large-format illustrations of the Book of Revelation, which profoundly changed the history of printmaking. Executed in the complex medium of the woodcut, Dürer utilized innovative techniques to achieve an unprecedented level of detail and dramatic intensity, pushing the limits of the medium beyond the simple outlines common in earlier German prints.

The dramatic scene illustrates Revelation 17, depicting the infamous Whore of Babylon seated atop the seven-headed beast. She holds a golden cup full of "abominations," symbolizing the moral corruption and false doctrine prophesied in the text. Dürer emphasizes the terror and confusion of the surrounding environment, placing the action amidst a chaotic cityscape that is already beginning to collapse. Crucially, the composition includes several horrified male figures and onlookers in the foreground and background, representing the kings and inhabitants of the earth who have been seduced by her influence. The intense cross-hatching and complex shading employed by Dürer creates a vivid sense of imminent destruction, aligning the work with the millennial fears prevalent at the turn of the 16th century.

This masterwork, currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcases Dürer’s early mature style and his ability to translate complex theological narratives into compelling visual art. Because of the lasting cultural impact and age of the series, these original The Whore of Babylon prints are highly valued. However, reproductions of this Renaissance classic are often available through public domain resources, allowing widespread appreciation of Dürer’s meticulous approach to graphic arts.