The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image is a black-and-white engraving packed with strange, twisted shapes. You see a beast with seven heads, some standing on land, others rising from water. Around them float clouds, buildings, and a crowd of small human figures. The lines are sharp and busy, filling every inch of the paper. The artist used tiny, repeated lines to build up dark and light areas—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene look both chaotic and carefully planned. Look up engraving next to see how artists like this one carved images into metal.
