ticketsMember | Make a donation

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from "The Apocalypse"

ca. 1497/1498
Not on view
The third woodcut from Dürer’s Apocalypse, the Four Horsemen presents a dramatically distilled version of the passage from the book of Revelation (6:1–8). Transforming what was a relatively staid and unthreatening image in earlier illustrated Bibles, Dürer injects motion and danger into this climactic moment through his subtle manipulation of the wood block. The parallel lines across the image establish a basic middle tone, against which the artist silhouettes and overlaps the powerful forms of the four horses and riders—from left to right, Death on his pale horse, Famine with his scales, War carrying a sword, and Plague (or Pestilence) with his bow and crown. The Mouth of Hell, ready for victims, opens up at bottom left.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from "The Apocalypse"
  • Series/Portfolio: The Apocalypse
  • Artist: Albrecht Dürer (German, Nuremberg 1471–1528 Nuremberg)
  • Date: ca. 1497/1498
  • Medium: Woodcut
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Felix M. Warburg, 1940
  • Object Number: 40.139.6(5)
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Opera Alberti Dureri. Das ist / Alle Bücher des weitberühmbten... .cont.: Underweysung der messung [. . .] vier Bücher von menschlicher Proportion; Etliche underricht /zu befestigung// der Stett/ Schloss und flecken
Albrecht Dürer
Johannes Janssonius
1603–4
Di Alberto Durero Pittore, e Geometra. . .della Simmetria dei Corpi Humani, Libri Quattro Nuouamente Tradotti dalla Lingua Latina nella Italiana
Multiple artists/makers
1591
The Nativity, from The Life of the Virgin, Latin Edition, 1511, Albrecht Dürer German, Woodcut
The Nativity, from The Life of the Virgin, Latin Edition, 1511
Albrecht Dürer
1511
Tractatus de horis Canonicis
Multiple artists/makers
June 8, 1514
Masquerade Dance with Torches, Albrecht Dürer German, Woodcut; Dershau restrike, 1922
Masquerade Dance with Torches
Albrecht Dürer
1922

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.