Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Hyde Schools
Joe Gauld... on Education
Anonymous:
I would say the oldest one, bringing up the rear (bottom), but he doesn't look so well-fed, which is NOT the case in real life!
Ursus:
The Revelation of St John: 4. The Four Riders of the Apocalypse
1497-98
Woodcut, 399 x 286 mm
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Karlsruhe
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http://www.wga.hu/html/d/durer/2/12/2apocaly/index.html
Woodcut series: The Revelation of St John (Apocalypse) (1497-98)
by Albrecht DÜRER
Apocalypse comes from Greek meaning an 'unveiling'. The faith of the early Christians, living under persecution, was sustained by the expectation of Christ's imminent second coming. This found literary expression in the Revelation of John, written at the end of the first century A.D., an allegory foretelling the destruction of the wicked, the overthrow of Satan and the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth, the 'New Jerusalem'. It followed the tradition of Jewish apocalyptic writing going back to Daniel in the 2nd century B.C., in which was foreseen the deliverance of Israel from her oppressors by a sudden act of the divine will, and from which the author of the Revelation borrowed much of his imagery. Popular belief, for which there is no historical evidence, identified the writer whose name was John with John the Evangelist, and he is so represented in apocalyptic themes. Though the author is alluding to the contemporary condition of Christians under the Roman empire, succeeding ages placed their own interpretation on the allegory. Thus the figure of the Beast, or Antichrist, which stands for the pagan emperor (either Nero or Domitian both of whom caused the blood of many martyrs to flow), came to symbolize Islam to crusading Christians; to Catholics at the time of the Reformation it stood for Protestant heresy, while Lutherans made it a symbol of the corrupt papacy. The sequence of fantastic images with their often obscure symbolism - the author's 'visions' - forms a loose cycle of themes that are found in religious art from the time of the Carolingian renaissance. They are seen in illuminated manuscripts, in the sculpture, stained glass and frescoes of churches, and in engravings and tapestries.
The greatest printmaking achievement of Dürer's early years was The Apocalypse, a set of 15 woodcuts on the revelations of St John. Telling the story of the end of the world and the coming of the Kingdom of God, this series of large prints displays great imagination and power. The famous series influenced the later treatment of the subject in northern Europe, especially France.
The Apocalypse was an immediate success. The terrifying, visions of the horrors of doomsday, and of the signs and portents preceding it, had never before been visualized with such force and power. There is little doubt that Dürer's imagination, and the interest of the public, fed on the general discontent with the institutions of the Church which was rife in Germany towards the end of the Middle Ages, and was finally to break out in Luther's Reformation. To Dürer and his public, the weird visions of the apocalyptic events had acquired something like topical interest, for there were many who expected these prophecies to come true within their lifetime.
Anonymous:
which one is Joe?
http://http://tinyurl.com/5hdfct
Ursus:
Who are the four horsemen?
The British Museum writes:
--- Quote ---Dürer has compressed eight verses describing St John's visions (Revelation 6:1-8) into one scene. The first rider with a bow represents pestilence. The second, with a raised sword, represents war. The third, with the empty scales, represents famine. In front rides Death, sweeping citizens and a king into the jaws of Hades.
--- End quote ---
From "Albrecht Dürer's New Jerusalem," by Robert H. Smith:
--- Quote ---Instead of classical composure, Dürer does not hesitate to portray the deep stirring of human emotion: people crawl into caves or cover their faces with their hands in a vain attempt to shield themselves from impending horrors, eyes bug out in terror, arms are thrown up in a vain attempt to ward off angelic blows or deflect the hooves of the apocalyptic horses.
Dürer's Four Horsemen (Revelation 6) are far from exemplifying that classical serenity and antique costuming so dear to the hearts of the artists of the Italian renaissance. Dürer's riders are contemporary human beings of flesh and blood. The first is a prince wearing his tiara around a tasseled conical hat and staring ahead at some hapless target of his armed and ready bow. Next comes a heartless warrior brandishing a terrible sword. The third horseman is a smug usurer or tax collector decked out in a fancy jacket, sporting an ostentatious necklace, his ample girth surrounded by a decorative belt, swinging his scales like a weapon against the poor. Bringing up the rear is death, a gruesome Father Time, raking people with his pitchfork into the monstrous jaws of hell.
And the victims, too, are an anguished cross section of German society: cardinal in fancy hat, housewife with sewing kit tied to her waist, well-fed burgher with chubby jowls, peasant staring uncomprehendingly at his impending fate, bald-pated monk face down on the earth, utterly defeated. Each is an individual, and each is believable. Even Dürer’s horses are alive, a far cry from the Haarlem block-book horses or those of the Nuremberg Bible, which are as stiff as carved wooden relics from some abandoned carousel.
--- End quote ---
From the blog MetaEschatology:
--- Quote ---Thursday, January 04, 2007
Revelation 6 -- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:1-8, ESV)
--- End quote ---
Ursus:
--- Quote from: "Fr Tim" ---which one is Joe?
http://http://tinyurl.com/5hdfct
--- End quote ---
That would be The Revelation of St John: 11. St. Michael Fighting the Dragon (c.1498, the 11th in that series of 15 woodcuts). Sorry, I didn't see that you had posted, being happily entrenched in research I was doing for your post just prior... And unfortunately, I don't have time to do it again for this one, not that it would be necessary, since the woodcut in its entirety could easily be interpreted as Joe struggling with his demons. Demon Alcohol, Demon Cigarettes, Demon Women, Demon Temper, Demon American Educational System, Demon Smartass Students, Demon Liver-Bellied Liberals, Demon Tennis Ball or Golf Ball, etc. etc...
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