The Martyrdom of Saint John, Albrecht Dürer | Mia

The Martyrdom of Saint John, Albrecht Dürer — The Martyrdom of Saint John, 1498
Albrecht Dürer
Woodcut
Bequest of Herschel V. Jones P.68.155
Not on View
As godson to publisher Anton Koberger and apprentice to Michael Wolgemut, Albrecht Dürer knew the power of the press and the potential for the printed image. During his twenties, he elevated the craft of woodcut to a fine art. His unbelievably intricate networks of lines present form, light, space, and lithe movement equal to the highest achievements of the draftsman’s art.

One of Dürer’s first great projects was an illustrated edition of The Apocalypse of Saint John, the Book of Revelation. Here he portrays John’s martyrdom. Condemned by Roman Emperor Domitian (51-96 CE) after refusing to renounce his Christian faith, John sits naked in a cauldron, as an executioner excites the flames with a bellows while another pours boiling oil over the saint's body. Domitian is dressed as a Turkish sultan to indicate his hostility to Christianity.

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Details

Title: The Martyrdom of Saint John
Dated: 1498
Artist: Albrecht Dürer
Nationality: German
Artist Life: 1471–1528
Role: Artist
Gallery: Not on View
Department: European Art
Dimension: 15 1/8 x 11 in. (38.42 x 27.94 cm) (image)
Credit: Bequest of Herschel V. Jones
Accession Number: P.68.155
Medium: Woodcut
Country: Germany
Century: 15th century
Provenance: Vincent Mayer (L. 2525); Knoedler & Co.
Rights: Public Domain
Classification: Prints
Object Name: Print
Catalogue Raisonne: B.61; M.164; Holl.164 i/iv
Wikipedia: Cite this information
See Also: 1 other artwork
Portfolio: From Apocalypse of Saint John, Plate 1
Metadata: Click here to see the machine readable JSON data that underpins this page.
Curator Approved: This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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