Albrecht Durer - The Martyrdom of Saint John, from The Apocalypse. 1511. The subject of this first print from the Apocalypse series is not contained in the book of Revelation, but Durer included it to identify Saint John as its author. Medium: Woodcut. Dimensions: sheet: 15 3/8 x 11 1/8 in. (39.1 x 28.3 cm). Reverse has printed text from ancient book. Attached to matte board heavy stock. Ships flat. Woodcut 392x282 mm; 15 1/2x11 1/8 inches, narrow to thread margins. A very good, dark impression from approx 1511 or 1498. Latin text edition with strong contrasts. From the Apocalypse. Bartsch 61; Meder 164. 1498 version Sold for $5000 in 2015 at Christys. Matte is approx. 23” x 30”. (M. 56, dated circa 1495-1530). Condition is good.

In this masterful woodcut from The Apocalypse of Saint John, Albrecht Dürer portrays the torture and martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist, who by Christian tradition is equated with the historical figure of the Apostle John. Though not part of the Book of Revelation, Dürer included the scene to identify Saint John as its author, an assertion that remains in dispute.

The subject of Saint John's martyrdom was common in medieval art and despite Dürer's highly advanced woodcut technique, the print presents a traditional interpretation of the story. Condemned by Roman Emperor Domitian (51-96 A.D.) after refusing to renounce his Christian faith, Saint John is shown sitting naked in the bath, as an executioner fans the flames with a bellows while another pours boiling oil over the saint's body. Domitian is seated to the left of the saint dressed as a Turkish sultan to indicate his hostility to Christianity. Though early Christian writings tell of John's miraculous survival from the cauldron of oil, apocryphal versions of the story contradict this and record his murder. - We believe this to be the woodcut, circa 1498, on laid paper, without watermark, a good impression from the Latin text edition of 1511, with margins, in very good condition.

VG