Johannes op het eiland Patmos 1490 - 1528

Jan Wellens de Cock created this print, *Johannes op het eiland Patmos*, sometime in the early 16th century using woodcut. During this time, anxieties around religious authority were widespread, especially following Martin Luther’s challenge to papal authority. De Cock, working in Antwerp, was no doubt aware of these seismic shifts and his work reflects the social and religious tensions of the period. In this print, the figure of John is seen in exile, receiving his divine inspiration for the Book of Revelation. What's striking is how de Cock situates this intimate, spiritual moment within a detailed, expansive landscape. This landscape, teeming with both natural and man-made elements, reflects the complex world in which John—and, by extension, de Cock himself—lived. The ships sailing into the city in the background remind us of the worldliness which John has been exiled from. Despite John’s isolation, a sense of connection remains, perhaps mirroring the ongoing dialogue, or perhaps struggle, between the spiritual and material realms.