Albrecht Durer The Four Horsemen Tapestries

Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut, “The Four Horsemen,” from 1497, is a striking masterpiece of fine art that captures the essence of the biblical apocalypse. This high-resolution engraving depicts the harrowing story from the Old Testament, where four horsemen represent death, famine, war, and conquest. Dürer’s work is part of his larger series, “Die Apokalypse,” which illustrates the dramatic and divine visions described in the Book of Revelation. In this black and white woodwork the horsemen are shown in vigorous motion their steeds galloping forward with an unstoppable force. The first horseman symbolizes conquest; the second represents war; the third signifies famine; the fourth embodies death. Each figure is rendered with meticulous detail.

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.

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him” Revelation 6:8. Dip pen and ink.