The Opening of the Seventh Seal, from the Apocalypse 1480 - 1570

Jean Duvet created this engraving, *The Opening of the Seventh Seal, from the Apocalypse*, during the tumult of the 16th century. As Europe was in religious and social upheaval, Duvet, a goldsmith and engraver, turned to the Book of Revelation, a text rife with visions of destruction, judgment, and ultimate salvation. Duvet’s detailed work is a dense tapestry of figures and symbols, reflecting the period's apocalyptic anxieties. Yet, it also embodies a yearning for divine intervention amidst earthly chaos. The etching depicts angels sounding trumpets and unleashing plagues, while Christ sits in judgment above. The scene is a powerful representation of divine authority and the consequences of human actions. Duvet’s identity as a devout Catholic and his artistic vision come together here, offering both a warning and a promise. How does this image of the end-times make you feel? Is it fear, hope, or perhaps a bit of both? Duvet asks us to confront our own mortality and reflect on the values that guide our lives.