Illustration IV: Representation of Saint John and his vision of Jesus Christ (First Epistle of Saint John the Divine) c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous illustration depicting Saint John and his vision, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The dense composition makes it seem almost claustrophobic. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The density, I think, speaks to the overwhelming nature of religious experience, particularly within the context of the Reformation. Notice how the city, representing worldly power, is visually dominated by the divine vision. How does this contrast affect your understanding? Editor: I see what you mean! It's like a challenge to earthly authority. Curator: Precisely. The artist uses that tension to position religious experience as a form of resistance. Editor: That's a powerful thought; I hadn't considered it in that light. Curator: Thinking about the artwork as a statement of dissent certainly enriches my understanding.