Who painted The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven?

The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven was painted by Jean Duvet in 1551.

Where can I see The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven?

The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven?

The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven

Jean Duvet , 1551

The Apocalypse: St. John Summoned to Heaven is a print by the Renaissance artist Jean Duvet. It dates from 1551 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The engraving depicts the biblical moment when Saint John is called up to heaven, forming part of a larger series that visualises the Revelation of John. Executed as a print, the image is densely populated with figures and symbolic objects, characteristic of the artist’s intricate compositional approach.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates the apocalyptic narrative from the New Testament, emphasizing the divine summons of the evangelist. The multitude of characters and iconographic details serve to convey the spiritual gravity and prophetic vision inherent in the Revelation text.

Technique & Style

Created by Jean Duvet, the work showcases his mastery of engraving, employing fine line work to render solidly modeled human forms. While the figures echo the anatomical precision of the Italian High Renaissance, Duvet’s arrangement abandons conventional perspective, favoring a crowded, ornamental surface that reflects his distinctive, highly artificial aesthetic.

History & Provenance

The print belongs to a bound collection of twenty‑three engravings that occupied Duvet for several years and represent his most ambitious project. The museum’s volume is one of only seven complete sets known to exist, underscoring its rarity and historical significance.

Context

Active in the provincial town of Langres, Duvet was among France’s earliest prominent printmakers. His exposure to Italian art arrived through imported prints, especially those by Marcantonio Raimondi, which informed his synthesis of French and Italian visual traditions in this series.