Dagger Sheath with the Whore of Babylon
1532
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1532
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a naked woman standing with one hand on her hip and the other holding a scroll. Below her, a strange mix of faces and animals spills out of a broken wall or tomb. The lines are sharp and dark, with lots of cross-hatching to show shadows and texture. The woman is often linked to a biblical figure—this print turns her into a warning symbol. The scroll she holds might be a message, but the messy scene below feels more like chaos. Check out Renaissance for more prints that mix religion, symbols, and drama like this.
