Ellis Middleton Professor Gretchen Potts Art Hist 101-2078 2 June 2004. This artwork, titled “The Apocalypse: The Dragon with Two Horns and the Beast with Seven” is an engraving by Jean Duvet, a French artist who lived from 1485 to 1561. It was created between 1546 and 1556 and is part of a larger bound volume illustrating the narrative of the Apocalypse, also known as Revelation, from the Bible [Cleveland Museum of Art]. The scene depicts a dramatic and apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation. The central figure is a monstrous dragon with two horns, which symbolizes Satan according to Christian interpretations [Wiriya Tipvarakankoon, The Theme of Deception in the Book of Revelation (2017), 33-88]. The dragon’s mouth is wide open, …show more content…
The complete set is considered to be one of Duvet’s greatest artistic achievements [Cleveland Museum of Art]. During this time period, the Protestant Reformation was underway, and religious imagery was a particularly important way for artists to express their beliefs [Britannica, “Intaglio,” accessed 1 June 2024]. Duvet’s work reflects a focus on biblical narratives and religious themes, and this particular image represents the fight between good and evil, as described in the Book of …show more content…
The book of Revelation was a text that reformers frequently referenced in their critique of the Catholic Church [R. W. Scribner, For the Sake of Reform (2009), 112]. The beast with seven horns was often interpreted as a symbol of the Catholic Church, which reformers saw as corrupt and abusive of its power [Wiriya Tipvarakankoon, The Theme of Deception in the Book of Revelation (2017), 182]. The image of the dragon and the beast together could be seen as a call for religious reform and a warning against the dangers of following false prophets. It is important to note that this interpretation is not the only one. The Book of Revelation is a complex and symbolic text, and there are many different interpretations of its meaning. However, understanding the historical context of the Reformation helps us to appreciate how Duvet’s engraving may have been understood by his