Art, Images, Music, and Materials related to the Book of Revelation

compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

MUSIC related to the Book of Revelation:

• Apocalyptic and Millennial Themes in Music - a very fine overview; from a student project by Erick Cifuentes
• Michael Card: Unveiled Hope - a Contemporary Christian Music album entirely based on the Book of Revelation
• Songs of the Revelation of Jesus Christ! - "A Cantata of the Revelation Scripture", composed by Margaret Haines
  

COLLECTIONS OF IMAGES on the Book of Revelation by Single Artists:

• Beatus de Liébana, Codex Urgellensis: a sample page from a 10th-century copy of Beatus of Liébana's Illustrated Commentary on the Apocalypse; this manuscript (with 91 illustrations) is in the Urgell Diocesan Museum in La Seu d'Urgell (Spain).
• Cloisters Apocalypse - illuminations from a 14th-century manuscript; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (restricted access)
• Apocalypse of St. John - sixteen woodcuts by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) from the Wetmore Print Collection, Connecticut College
• Doré Bible Illustrations - six woodcuts by Gustave Doré (1832-1883) depicting various scenes from Rev 1, 6, 12, 18, 20, and 21
• Revelation Paintings: new site by Robert Roberg, includes many of his 100+ paintings illustrating various scenes from Revelation
• Revelation Illustrated - 35 modern artworks by Pat Marvenko Smith, from the artist's own website; her Digital Downloads pages have five more (40 images total related to Revelation)
• Apocalypse by John Steczynski - a series of 42 drawings (1996-1997) by Prof. John Steczynski of Boston College (retired); online at the Lied Art Gallery, Creighton University, Omaha, NE.
   
• Apocalypse Animated - art and animation by Nina Paley
• Apocamon: The Final Judgment - an on-line digital comic book version of the Book of Revelation; by Patrick Farley (caution: contains some offensive language and sexual innuendo, but also uses many texts and images of Rev verbatim)
• James Hampton's Throne of the Third Heaven - about 180 pieces made of scavanged material and foil, in part influenced by the Book of Revelation; by James Hampton (1909-1964).
• Book of Revelation, digital art by Ted Larsen - contains 40 works, visible online and available for purchase
• Apocalyptic Art by Duncan Long - about a dozen images inspired by the Book of Revelation, and others with related themes
• Apocalyptic Images by David Miles - "digitally created figurative interpretations of the word images presented in the Book of Revelation"
• The Apocalypse: Book of Revelation Paintings - over 45 modern images by Florida artist Peter Olsen; each image set to music on a separate page
• Basil Wolverton's Apocalypse - a collection of 16 "horrifying scenes of the end of the world as we know it", by cartoonist Basil Wolverton, now colorized by Monte Wolverton; each image also quotes related scripture passages
  

INDIVIDUAL IMAGES AND MATERIALS pertaining to each Chapter of Revelation:

Rev 1 -

• Google Search: Maps of the Churches/Cities of Revelation (Rev 1:4, 9, 11) - lots of choices!
• Interactive Map - from iBibleMaps.com
• Google Map: Seven Churches of Asia - showing their locations in Turkey today
• Map of the Seven Churches of Asia and the Isle of Patmos (Rev 1:4) - modern painting by Pat Marvenko Smith of "Revelation Illustrated"
   
• Saint John on Patmos (Rev 1:9) - folio 17r from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (1413-1416); also on Wikipedia
• Saint John on Patmos (Rev 1:9) - painting done 1485 by Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516) now in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin; click here for another digital copy
• John on Patmos (Rev 1:9) - painting of 1518 by German Renaissance artist Hans Burgkmair (1473-1531); now in the Alte Pinakothek, Munich; click here for another digital copy
• Saint John on Patmos (Rev 1:9) - painting by Nicolas Poussin (ca. 1644); now in the Pinacoteca, Vatican City
• St John the Evangelist on Pathmos (Rev 1:9) - oil on canvas, by Alonso Cano (1646-50); now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
• John on Patmos (Rev 1:9) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
  
• St. John's Vision of Christ and the Seven Candlesticks (Rev 1:9-20) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• John Turning ("to see the voice that was speaking to him" - Rev 1:12) - extra painting by Pat Marvenko Smith
• One Like a Son of Man (Rev 1:9-2:1) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles

• Seven Churches Tour - from Meander Travel, with extra info on each site:
  • Ephesus (Efes; Rev 2:1-7)
  • Smyrna (Izmir; Rev 2:8-11)
  • Pergamum (Bergama; Rev 2:12-17)
  • Thyatira (Akhisar; Rev 2:18-29)
  • Sardis (Sart; Rev 3:1-6)
  • Philadelphia (Alasehir; Rev 3:7-13)
  • Laodicea (Laodikya; Rev 3:14-22)
• BiblePlaces.com - pictures from the sites of most of the seven churches; with helpful links to other websites:
• Ephesus; Smyrna; Pergamum; Thyatira; Sardis; Philadelphia; Laodicea
• World Archaeology: Ephesus - article from March 7, 2012
• World Archaeology: Smyrna - article from March 28, 2012
• Archaeological Exploration of Sardis - a "digital resource center"

• The Open Door in Heaven (Rev 4:1) - modern painting by Pat Marvenko Smith of "Revelation Illustrated"
• St. John's Vision of God and the Elders (Rev 4:2-11) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The Four and Twenty Elders Casting their Crowns before the Divine Throne (ca. 1803) - by William Blake (1757-1827); now in the Tate Gallery, London; another copy here
• The Throne in Heaven (Rev 4:2-11) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles
• The Four Living Creatures (Rev 4:6-11) - my own collection of various images of the creatures, later connected to the four evangelists

• The Mighty Angel ("Who is worthy to open the scroll?" - Rev 5:2) - extra painting by Pat Marvenko Smith of "Revelation Illustrated"
• Vision of St. John, showing God and the Lamb surrounded by the four living creatures and 24 elders (Rev 5:6-14) - central panel of the Polyptych of the Apocalypse, by Jacobello Alberegno (Venice; d. 1397), in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
• The Adoration of the Lamb (Rev 5) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

• The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Rev 6:1-8) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
  click here or here for smaller copies
• The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Rev 6:1-8) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles
• The Fourth Horseman (Rev 6:8) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
• The Vision of Saint John (Rev 6:9-11) - painting of the saints receiving white robes; by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos; 1541-1614)
• And the Moon Became as Blood (Rev 6:12) - modern painting by Howard Finster (1976); from the Smithsonian American Art Museum website
• The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals (Rev 6:12-17) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

• Angels Restraining the Four Winds (Rev 7:1) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The Twelve Tribes of Israel (Rev 7:4-8) - my own simple chart of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
• The Adoration of the Lamb - from "The Ghent Altarpiece" (1425-29), by Jan van Eyck - click here for another copy

• The Seven Angels with Trumpets (Rev 8:2, 6) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

• The Fith and Sixth Trumpets (Rev 9:1-21) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• Locusts from the Abyss - (Rev 9:1-11) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles

• St. John Swallowing the Little Scroll (Rev 10:1-10) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

• The Two Witnesses Ascending to Heaven (Rev 11:12) - extra painting by Pat Marvenko Smith of "Revelation Illustrated"

• The Dragon with Seven Heads and the Apocalyptic Woman (Rev 12:1-6) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun (ca. 1805) - painting by William Blake (1757-1827); now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington
• The Woman and the Dragon (Rev 12:1-6) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
• St. Michael and His Angels Fight the Dragon (Rev 12:7-9) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
  click here for another copy, slightly smaller
• The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Rev 12:1-6) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles
• The Dragon Spewing Water to Overtake the Woman (Rev 12:15-16) - extra painting by Pat Marvenko Smith
• St. Michael and the Archangels (Rev 12:7-9) - a contemporary serigraph (2006), printed in 62 colors, by Los Angeles artist John August Swanson

• The Seven-Headed Beast and the Second Beast (Rev 13:1-10, 11-18) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea (ca. 1805) - by William Blake (1757-1827); National Gallery of Art, Washington
• The Number of the Beast (Rev 13:18) - some modern fun with the number 666 that was circulated by e-mail

• The Lamb and the 144,000 -
• The Messages of the Three Angels -
• Final Harvest and Vintage -

• Sea of Glass - modern painting, by artist Bruce Eagle

• Vision from Book of Revelation - a modern painting partly influenced by Rev 16; by McKendree Robbins Long, Sr. (1966); from the Smithsonian American Art Museum website

• The Woman of Babylon with the Dragon (Rev 17:1-18) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
• The Woman on the Beast (Rev 17:1-18) - a digitally created figurative interpretation, by David Miles

• The Fall of Babylon (Rev 18:5) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)

• The Rejoicing in Heaven -
• Coming of Christ, the Word of God -
• Invitation to a Great Banquet -

• The Angel with the Key to the Pit (Rev 20:1-3) - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
  click here or here for smaller copies
• The Final Judgement (Rev 20:12) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
• The Last Judgement (Rev 20) - Painting on Altar Wall of Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo (1535-1541)

• The New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2) - woodcut illustration by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883)

• John Falls at the Feet of the Angel (Rev 22:8) - Painting of 1635 by Alonso Cano (1601-67); now in the Wallace Collection, London - another copy at the Web Gallery of Art

Depictions of Related Stories and Legends:

• Virgin and Child appearing to St. John (cf. Rev 12:1-6) - frontispiece/cover of a collection of 16 woodcuts (1511), by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528); also in the Wetmore Collection of Connecticut College
• The Martyrdom of St. John - woodcut by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528); also in the Wetmore Collection of Connecticut College

Other Collections of Apocalyptic and Utopian Art:

• Apocalyptic Theories in Old English: Gallery - a very well-designed new collection by Carolin Esser, with images related to each chapter of the Book of Revelation; many images are by William Blake or Albrecht Dürer
• Digital Art by Ted Larson - focusing on the Books of Exodus, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation
• Millennium Art - "dynamic cause-related exhibitions that address some of the most pressing fundamental issues of our time"

Some Books with Collections of Apocalyptic Art:

• Emmerson, Richard K. Apocalypse Illuminated: The Visual Exegesis of Revelation in Medieval Illustrated Manuscripts. Penn State University Press, 2018.
• O'Hear, Natasha and Anthony. Picturing the Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation in the Arts over Two Millennia. Oxford University Press, 2015.
• Smith, Pat Marvenko. Revelation Illustrated: An Artist's View of the Bible's Last Book. WestBowPress, 2015.
• Morgan, Nigel. Illuminating the End of Time: The Getty Apocalypse Manuscript. J. Paul Getty Museum, 2012.
• Morgan, Nigel. The Douce Apocalypse: Picturing the End of the World in the Middle Ages. Treasures from the Bodleian Library. University of Oxford, 2007.
• Barberis, Irene. Revelation - Apocalypse. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia: Macmillan Art Publishing, 2000.
• Carey, Frances. The Apocalypse and the Shape of Things to Come. London: British Museum Press; Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999.
• Manley, Roger. The End is Near! Visions of Apocalpse, Millennium and Utopia. Los Angeles: Dilettante Press, 1998. - contains dozens of prints and essays, based on a large and fascinating 1997-1998 exhibition at the American Visionary Art Museum (Baltimore).
• Grubb, Nancy. Revelations: Art of the Apocalypse. New York/London/Paris: Abbeville Publishers, 1997.
• Maius (fl. 926-968). A Spanish Apocalypse: The Morgan Beatus Manuscript (Pierpont Morgan Library, M. 644). Ed. by John Williams & Barbara A. Shailor. New York: G. Braziller, 1991.
• van der Meer, Frederick. Apocalypse: Visions from the Book of Revelation in Western Art. New York: Alpine Fine Arts Collection, 1978.
• Doré, Gustav. The Doré Bible Illustrations. Dover, 1974.
• The Cloisters Apocalypse: A Fourteenth Century Manuscript in Facsimile. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1971.