Engraving “The Four Angels of Death” is an illustration to the 9th chapter of the book “Revelation” of John the Theologian:
“And the four angels were released, prepared for an hour and a day, and a month and a year, in order to kill a third of the people.” The number of the equestrian army was two dark by that, and I heard his number.
So I saw in the vision horses and on them horsemen who had on themselves armor fiery, hyacinth and sulfuric; The heads of horses are like the heads of lions, and fire, smoke, and sulfur come out of their mouth. From these three plagues, from fire, smoke and sulfur, emerging from their mouth, a third of the people died.
Other people who did not die from these ulcers did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they do not worship demons and gold, silver, copper, stone and wooden idols, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their theft. “
In this engraving, Albrech Durer painted both fire horses and riders, but in the center of the composition are four angry angels who kill unrepentant sinners. And here there is no place neither compassion nor pity. The vice must be punished.
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