Lot 19
19
Albrecht Dürer
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Albrecht Dürer

The Angel with the Key of the bottomless Pit, from The Apocalypse (B. 75; M., Holl. 178; S.M.S. 126)

Details
Albrecht Dürer
The Angel with the Key of the bottomless Pit, from The Apocalypse (B. 75; M., Holl. 178; S.M.S. 126)
woodcut, circa 1497/98, a very good impression, probably a proof impression before German and Latin text editions of 1498, without watermark, with 5-6 mm. margins all around, in excellent condition
B. 395 x 283 mm., S. 404 x 293 mm.
Provenance
H. M. Swope (L. 2368 b).
Special Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This is the closing image of the Apocalypse. The war over Heaven and Earth is won and the devil is about to be locked away for a thousand years. The sky is again populated by birds rather than sword-wielding angels and demons. On the hilltop, an angel points toward the Heavenly City of Jerusalem, with its gates guarded by other angels. To emphasise the proximity of these events Dürer depicts the city as a Franconian town, a Nuremberg by the sea.

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