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Opening of the Sixth Seal

A work made of engraving in black on cream laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving in black on cream laid paper.

Date:

1555

Artist:

Jean Duvet
French, 1485-after 1561

About this artwork

In one of John’s first visions of the end of the world (Revelation 6:9–15), the opening of the sixth seal unleashes the Last Judgment. The sun and moon peeping out from under the altar suggests this breach marks an irrevocable astronomical as well as spiritual event. The pious dead—with their foreheads marked with a cross by God—rise into Heaven, while the gates of Hell open to receive those unworthy of salvation. Others, tormented into a crazed state by locusts, clamor for death and the fiery pit, which their satanic overlord is all too willing to grant.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Jean Duvet

Title

Opening of the Sixth Seal

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1555

Medium

Engraving in black on cream laid paper

Dimensions

Image/sheet: 30.5 × 21.2 cm (12 1/16 × 8 3/8 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

Reference Number

1956.1051

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/4395/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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