Who painted The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns?

The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns was painted by Jean Duvet in 1551.

Where can I see The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns?

The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns?

The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns?

Museum-quality prints of The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns

Jean Duvet , 1551

The Apocalypse: The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns is a print by the Renaissance artist Jean Duvet. It dates from 1551 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1953.213.22
Credit line: Gift of the Hanna Fund

About this work

The painting shows a beast with seven heads and ten horns. It's an engraving from a series illustrating the Apocalypse. The series took the artist many years to complete and is based on the Bible's Revelation of Saint John.

The Cleveland Museum of Art has one of the few complete sets of these engravings. Check out the work of artist Jean Duvet (French, 1485–1561) for more.

Overview

This engraving, 'The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns,' is one of 23 prints in a rare, complete series illustrating the Apocalypse from the Revelation of Saint John. Only seven complete sets of this series are known to exist, with The Cleveland Museum of Art housing one.

Subject & Meaning

Depicting a monstrous beast with seven heads and ten horns, the work visually interprets a key apocalyptic vision from the Bible, conveying the chaotic and ominous themes present in Saint John's narrative.

Technique & Style

Characterized by crowded compositions and ornamental surface patterns, the engraving showcases Jean Duvet's idiosyncratic style. Despite being influenced by Italian High Renaissance figures (noted in the solid modeling of human forms), Duvet's work ignores traditional spatial logic.

History & Provenance

Created by Jean Duvet, a pioneering French printmaker of the 16th century, this series represents his magnum opus, spanning several years of his career in Langres. The museum's set is one of only seven complete known sets.

Context

Though based in provincial Langres, Duvet's awareness of Italian art, particularly through Marcantonio Raimondi's prints, influenced his work. This blend of French innovation with Italian Renaissance elements marks his unique contribution to 16th-century art.