Artwork
The Vision of Ezekiel
The Vision of Ezekiel is a print by Nicolas Larmessin. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1750 by Nicolas Larmessin IV, this engraving translates a Renaissance composition into a printed format. The image, titled *The Vision of Ezekiel*, adapts a biblical scene from the Book of Ezekier, depicting a celestial spectacle rendered in the visual language of Raphael’s earlier painting.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a bearded, winged man standing upon clouds, arms uplifted, surrounded by a host of winged beings and hybrid creatures resembling lions and eagles. Below, a modest settlement rests beside water under a turbulent sky, evoking the prophetic vision of heavenly beings described in Ezekiel.
Technique & Style
Executed as an engraving on paper, the work reproduces Raphael’s compositional arrangement through line work and tonal shading characteristic of mid‑18th‑century printmaking. The artist employs chiaroscuro and intricate detailing to convey the drama of the sky and the texture of the celestial figures.
History & Provenance
Larmessin’s print was produced as a copy of Raphael’s original painting, serving to disseminate the composition beyond the confines of a single canvas. The engraving entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains accessible for study and public viewing.
Artist & collection
Artist
A Parisian printmaker active in the early to mid-1700s, Nicolas Larmessin specialized in finely detailed engravings of religious scenes and famous faces.
Temptation of Saint Anthony
Descent into Limbo
Ascension of St. Paul
The Damned
Et vidi alium angelum fortem... (The Angel of the Apocalypse Appearing to Saint John)
Study for "An Apotheosis of a Saint" (for San Bernardino dei Morti, Milan)
Guardian Angel
The Fall of the Rebellious Angels
The Archangel Michael