The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seal

Albrecht Dürer, 1498

This is a detailed drawing of a celestial scene with symbolic imagery. The upper section shows angels and celestial figures around a central altar. Below, there are cascading stars or comets. Two large celestial bodies, a sun with a face on the left and a moon with a face on the right, frame the scene. The lower part contains figures amidst rocky terrain, possibly reacting to the event above, with some shielding their eyes or appearing distressed.
Artist
Albrecht Dürer
Date
1498
Type
Print
Medium
woodcut on laid paper
Dimensions
39.2 × 28.6 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

This is a detailed drawing of a celestial scene with symbolic imagery. The upper section shows angels and celestial figures around a central altar. Below, there are cascading stars or comets. Two large celestial bodies, a sun with a face on the left and a moon with a face on the right, frame the scene. The lower part contains figures amidst rocky terrain, possibly reacting to the event above, with some shielding their eyes or appearing distressed.

Albrecht Dürer