Evangelist John Exiled on Patmos, AD 97 1684

Jan Luyken created this etching, titled 'Evangelist John Exiled on Patmos, AD 97', using etching techniques. Luyken lived in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age. His art often reflects the intense religious and political atmosphere of that era. Here, we see John, traditionally associated with authorship of the Book of Revelation, exiled to the island of Patmos. Consider the intersection of religious authority and political power that underpinned such exiles. Luyken presents John not as a figure of power, but as a solitary, almost vulnerable man wading ashore. The etching captures the emotional and physical isolation inherent in exile. The stormy sea and desolate landscape mirror John's inner turmoil, his faith tested by banishment. Luyken, who converted to the mystic religious movement of Pietism, likely saw in John's exile a parallel to the personal struggles of faith and persecution. This wasn't just a biblical scene for Luyken; it was a reflection on the cost of conviction, rendered with a poignant sense of human vulnerability.