Artwork
Revelation of St. John: Angel with the Key of the Bottomless Pit
Revelation of St. John: Angel with the Key of the Bottomless Pit is a print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1511 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This 1511 print, 'Revelation of St.
About this work
Overview
This 1511 print, 'Revelation of St. John: Angel with the Key of the Bottomless Pit', is a woodcut by Albrecht Dürer, a prominent figure in the German Renaissance.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts three figures: a kneeling man with a scroll and two winged angels, one holding a key and the other pointing upwards, set against a cityscape under a stormy sky, illustrating a passage from the Book of Revelation.
Technique & Style
The black-and-white print employs chiaroscuro, using contrasting light and shadow to create drama, with the key held by an angel being a focal point despite its small size.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a series of woodcuts by Dürer based on the Book of Revelation, created in 1511, and is held in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit
Revelation of St. John: Four Angels Holding up the Winds
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Revelation of St. John: Seven Angels with Trumpets
Revelation of St. John: Opening of the Sixth Seal
Revelation of St. John: The Woman of Babylon
Revelation of St. John: The Four Destroying Angels
Revelation of St. John: The Four Horsemen
Revelation of St. John