User:FawnSpirit/sandbox/Apocalypse (Durer)
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The Apocalypse, properly Apocalypse with Pictures (Latin: Apocalipsis cum figuris)[1] is a series of fifteen woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer published in 1498 depicting various scenes from the Book of Revelation, which rapidly brought him fame across Europe.[2] These woodcuts likely drew on theological advice, particularly from Johannes Pirckheimer, the father of Dürer's friend Willibald Pirckheimer.[3] Prints of these engravings were done by Dürer adapting Anton Koberger's two-column type.[4] Work on the series started during Dürer's first trip to Italy (1494–95),[5] and the set was published simultaneously as a 15 page book[6] in Latin and German at Nuremberg in 1498, at a time when much of secular Europe feared an invasion of the Ottoman Empire and Christian Europe anticipated a possible Last Judgment in the year 1500.[6] Dürer was the publisher and seller of this series,[7] and became the first artist to publish a book and create a copyright in doing so.[3] This achievement presented Dürer fame along with the ability to have true subject freedom and focus on his engraving work.[8] Considering the 15 woodcuts, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (c. 1497–98),[9] referring to Revelation 6:1–8,[10] is often viewed as the most famous piece. The overall layout of the cycle has the illustrations on the recto (right) and the text on the verso (left). This would suggest the importance of illustration over text.[5] In 1511, Dürer would go on to publish the second edition of Apocalypse in a combined edition with his Life of the Virgin and Large Passion; single impressions were also produced and sold.[11]