St. John on the Island of Patmos

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Also known as The Revelation of Saint John the Evangelist, this engraving shows the writer at work within a resplendent church interior rather than on a remote island. The book in his lap reads “In the beginning was the word,” the first verse of his gospel. The evangelist appears with his eyes shut, hand pressed to his brow as he searches for the next line. Inspiration cannot be far away, for John’s attribute, the eagle, is perched on his shoulders, giving him a borrowed pair of wings, with the Holy Trinity hovering in the air above to observe his progress.

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