Roundel with Saint John on Patmos with Apocalyptic Vision 1520 - 1530

Curator: Here we have a glass roundel with ink drawing attributed to Dirck Vellert, a Northern Renaissance artist, made sometime between 1520 and 1530. The piece depicts Saint John on Patmos, receiving his apocalyptic vision. Editor: It’s striking how such a complex scene is rendered with such delicate detail on glass. The landscape seems to emerge from the lines, almost ethereal. Curator: Vellert, as with other glass painters of the time, were working within very specific guild structures. Glass production, especially painted glass like this, demanded precise craftsmanship and a careful control of materials. Each colour was often a separate firing process. Editor: Considering its small scale, there's so much symbolic weight here. The Virgin Mary appears to Saint John as he writes his gospel, a symbolic image used in a period of enormous religious upheaval and reform. The angel dictating the text reminds me of other contemporary images of intellectuals being inspired, questioning whose voices got to speak with authority. Curator: Right, the social function of images, like this one, made for wealthy patrons. They are devotional objects, meant to be beautiful but also incredibly didactic. And the choice of St. John, known for his mystical revelations. Vellert exploits the qualities of the material too, to create depth and luminosity. Editor: Seeing this now, knowing it was crafted during such turmoil makes me appreciate its survival and speaks to resilience, really. The artist clearly navigated shifting power dynamics, class struggles, and evolving spiritual interpretations through his artwork. Curator: Absolutely. And thinking about the labour involved, the repeated firings, the meticulous detail... it highlights art's dependence on craft and labour and process. Editor: Examining the social climate in which this roundel was created highlights not just its artistic value, but its significance as a cultural artifact too. Thanks, I now see it through new eyes. Curator: Me too, a testament to craft, survival, and enduring visions across centuries.