The Vision of the Seven Candlesticks

This is one of the most intense visions in the series, rendered by Albrecht Dürer with striking force. John is absorbed in prayer when the Son of Man appears before him: he wears a long white robe, his hair is white as wool, his eyes blaze, and a double-edged sword issues from his mouth.

The seven golden candlesticks symbolise the seven Churches, while the stars in his right hand represent their angels.

The open book and the throne encircled by a rainbow underscore his role as Supreme Judge. It is a solemn and unsettling vision, in which the divine presence manifests itself with a force that inspires both awe and fear.