Who painted The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit?

The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1497.

Where can I see The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit?

The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit?

The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit

Albrecht Dürer , 1497

The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1497 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut, titled *The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit*, dates from around 1497. Executed in the late‑15th‑century German print tradition, the image presents a celestial figure holding a massive key, standing upon a swirling cloud while a diminutive John the Evangelist kneels at the angel’s feet.

Subject & Meaning

The composition draws on apocalyptic symbolism, pairing the angel—often interpreted as a guardian of the abyss—with the biblical figure of John, traditionally linked to Revelation. The key suggests authority over the bottomless pit, a motif that underscores themes of divine control and the sealing of evil.

Technique & Style

Dürer’s woodcut employs finely incised lines that render the angel’s wings and drapery with a sense of volume, creating an illusion of three‑dimensional presence. The contrast between the dense, dark outlines and the lighter background enhances the dramatic tension between the celestial and the earthly.

History & Provenance

Created during a period when printmaking began to disseminate religious imagery beyond elite patronage, the work exemplifies Dürer’s early mastery of the medium. Surviving impressions are held in several European collections, reflecting the print’s wide circulation in the decades following its production.

Context

The late 1400s saw a surge in devotional prints that catered to a growing literate public seeking visual access to scriptural narratives. Dürer’s engagement with such subjects aligns with contemporary reformist currents that emphasized personal contemplation of biblical themes.