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Path: Photos > Museums > Angers: the Tapestry of the Apocalypse
Tags: France  News  Museum  Tapestries  2022

Angers: the Tapestry of the Apocalypse

 

(vero;2022-Nov-21)

The Tapestry of the Apocalypse is a depiction of the Apocalypse as revealed in the Book of Revelation by John of Patmos. It was commissioned between 1373 and 1377 by Louis I, Duke of Anjou and made in Paris in the workshops of Robert Poinçon, according to the cartoons of Hennequin de Bruges (also known as Jean Bondol), the official painter of the French King Charles V. The tapestry was used for solemn and prestigious occasions and was eventually bequeathed to the cathedral of Angers in the 15th century by King René of Anjou. After a long period of neglect and damage it was partially reconstructed in the mid-19th century, then preserved and exhibited in the Museum of the Tapestry of the Apocalypse located on the site of the Château d'Angers in a very long gallery built for this purpose and inaugurated in 1954. The entrance fee was 9.50 € in 2022 and is definitely worth it, the ticket gives also access to the castle itself. Click here for some practical information.

Before it was dismantled, the tapestry was approximately 140 metres long and around 4.5 metres high covering a total area of 850 m2. It is made up of six hangings, each consisting of a large introductory character (the reader) and fourteen scenes arranged in two registers: seven up, seven down. John is present in each scene, writing down what he is witnessing in the Book of Revelation. Today only 104 metres and 67 scenes have been recovered and are currently on display, the sixth hanging being the most incomplete.

Wool has been used for the warp and weft, brighlty coloured with vegetable dyes such as weld for the yellows, madder for the reds and pastel for the blues. The crazy thing about this tapestry is the fact that it is reversible: the reverse side is identical to the front side. What we see in the exhibition is the front side, but if we were allowed to look at the reverse side, we would see the tapestry with full and bright colours preserved as it would have looked in the 14th century. Incredible, click here for a taste of it and compare with the subdued colours of our gallery below: quite a difference!

And now: Explore the Tapestry . Or browse through our second gallery to marvel at the Quality and precision of the weavers' work.

Explore the Tapestry
The tapestry is made of six hangings assembled along the same pattern: each one is introduced by the figure of a reader occupying the whole height of the hanging. The story is told on two levels each containing seven scenes, it starts on the upper register from left to right and continues on the lower one also from left to right. John is present in each scene, writing down what he is witnessing in the Book of Revelation. While creating this gallery, I have tried to match each picture with the reference of the verses they illustrate. If you're interested, click on this link to download a pdf with the new international English version of the Book of Revelation (the pdf will download automatically).
Outline of the events illustrated in the first hanging. This picture shows the two first scenes of the first hanging. The first one is dedicated to the seven churches. They are represented materially by 7 church buildings and spiritually by 7 angels; on the left John brings his left hand to his mouth: he announces the Revelation contained in the book that he is holding in his right hand (Rev 1:11; 2; 3). **** The second scene shows Christ with the sword (Rev 1:12-20). In this apparition a being similar to a "son of man " reveals to John, prostrate at his feet, the mystery of the 7 candelabras that symbolise the 7 churches of Asia illuminated by the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit; the 7 red stars that he holds in the palm of his right hand represent the angels of the 7 churches. In his mouth, held horizontally, a double-threaded sword symbolises the power of the divine Word. This picture is a panorama. Press F to expand it to its real size and use the bottom scroll bar to navigate through it. This scene shows the adoration of the twenty-four elders who bow down in front of God and depose their crowns as sign of devotion (Rev 4:9-11). John holding the book is at the left of the scene, God is seated on a rainbow in a mandorla. He holds an open book in his hand: this deviates from the text of Revelation where the book is sealed with seven seals. This scene shows a slaughtered lamb symbolising Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. (Rev 5:6-10) Around him are the four living creatures (angels worshipping the lamb who manifest themselves to John as a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle) and he is surrounded by the twenty-four crowned elders. The lamb has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. When the lamb breaks the first seal of the book, the first of the four living creatures (an angel in the form of a man) introduces a white horse with a crowned rider. This rider is the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. He carries a bow and has been given a victor's crown as a figure of conquest. The second horseman (missing scene) carries a sword and rides a red horse; he causes civil war, conflict and strife (Rev 6:1-4). The third seal is broken and the four living creatures introduce a black horse. His rider, the third horseman is a food-merchant and is understood to represent famine as he carries scales indicating the way that bread would have been weighed during a famine (Rev 6:5-6). The fourth seal is broken and the fourth of the four living creatures, the eagle, introduces a pale horse. Its rider is Death, the fourth horseman of the apocalypse. All four horsemen are now introduced and are empowered to reign over a fourth of the earth and to kill with sword, famine, and plague, and by means of the beasts of the earth (Rev 6:7-8). The fifth seal is broken and it reveals the souls of the martyrs who had suffered for the Word of God and who cry out for vengeance. They are given white robes and told to rest until the ongoing martyrdom of their brothers is over (Rev 6:9-11). Outline of the events illustrated in the second hanging. Part of the second hanging. Upper register: the crowd of the chosen ones (Rev 7:4-17) , the opening of the seventh seal of the book announcing the seven trumpets (Rev 8:1-2) and an angel receiving an incense burner filled with God's fire to be thrown to the earth (Rev 8:3-4). **** The lower register shows the sounding of the fourth, third and finally second trumpet (Rev 8:8-13). It is strange that the chronology of the trumpet soundings is not reflected in the order in which the scenes are displayed. When the seventh seal is broken it announces the seven trumpets. This scene represents the sounding of the second trumpet: something that resembles a great mountain burning with fire falls from the sky and lands in the ocean killing a third of the sea creatures and destroying a third of the ships at sea (Rev 8:8-9). Note how John is weeping. The sounding of the fourth trumpet introduces an eagle announcing three further woes which will afflict the earth. They are represented by a destroyed city and the words of misfortune (in Latin Ve, Ve, Ve) woven on the scroll that the eagle holds in its legs and beak (Rev 8:12-13). A fifth angel sounds his trumpet and signals the first woe: a star falls from heaven to the earth and gives the key to a bottomless pit. The pit is opened and smoke rises darkening the air and sunlight. Locusts come out of the smoke and the pit led by their king Abaddon on his horse. He commands them to torment any man who does not have the seal of God on his forehead for five months (Rev 9:1-12). The sixth angel sounds his trumpet, signals the second woe and releases four angels who were bound at the great river Euphrates. The four angels of the Euphrates raise an army of 200 million cavalry who will kill a third of mankind (Rev 9:9-21). John looks quite sad on the left. The seventh angel appears standing with one foot on the sea and the other on land. He is holding an opened little book which contains mysteries and secrets uttered by seven thunders. John is asked to seal those mysteries in the book and to not write about them. The angel declares that the mystery of God will be revealed on the sounding of the seventh trumpet. John is instructed to eat the little book to preserve its secrets (Rev 10:1-11). Outline of the events illustrated in the third hanging. This picture shows the typical set-up of the tapestry: the hanging is introduced by the reader occupying the whole height of the hanging. The story illustrated in the hanging starts with the upper register for seven scenes and continues on the lower register with seven further scenes. The scenes represented here are: on the upper register, the measurement of the temple and the two witnesses (Rev 11:1-6). The lower register starts with St Michael fighting the dragon and the woman receiving wings to escape from the dragon (Rev 12:7-14). The seventh angel sounds his trumpet and signals the coming of victory: the temple of God opens in heaven where the ark of his covenant can be seen. This is the beginning of war in heaven. One episode as shown on this scene of the tapestry is St Michael fighting the dragon standing for the Devil, or Satan. After a great fight, the dragon and his angels are cast out of heaven for good (Rev 12:7-12). John seems worried about the outcome of the fight. The dragon engages to persecute the woman, but she is given aid in the form of wings which will enable her to escape (Rev 12:13-15). The escape of the woman enrages the dragon, prompting him to wage war against the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God (Rev 12:16-18). A beast (with seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, one on each horn) emerges from the sea. The dragon gives it a sceptre and grants it power and authority for forty-two months. The beast is able to control the entire earth and goes to war against the saints (Rev 13:1-2). The beast of the sea is mortally wounded at one of its heads but is then healed. The people of the earth marvel at this miracle and worship the beast and the dragon. This scene shows the worship of the dragon (Rev 13:3-4). The people of the earth marvel at the beast's abilities and worship it and the dragon. This scene shows the worship of the beast of the sea (Rev 13:4). Outline of the events illustrated in the fourth hanging. More adoration of the beast of the sea as it blasphemes God's name, wages war and overcomes the saints (Rev 13:5-10). John looks a bit blasé to me… Another beast, also known as the false prophet, arises from the ground. It resembles a lamb but speaks like the dragon. It exercises authority on its behalf and makes people follow and worship the beast of the sea (Rev 13:11-13). The beast of the earth, also known as the false prophet, forces all people to receive the mark of the beast of the sea on their right hand or forehead, declaring that "no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666." (Rev 13:16-18). The lamb appears on Mount Zion with 144,000 male virgins who have resisted the beasts, refused to receive the mark of the beast and followed the lamb. They now sing a new song before the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. But no one can learn the song except them, who have been redeemed from the earth (Rev 14:1). A second angel appears and announces the fall of Babylon (Rev 14:8). A third angel appears and declares God's wrath on those who worship or receive the mark of the beast. They will be tormented in fire and brimstone in front of the holy angels and the lamb (Rev 14:9-12). An angel invites a crowned "son of man" (one of the chosen ones) holding a sickle and seated on a cloud to use his sickle to harvest the earth. He throws the sickle on the earth and the earth can be harvested (Rev 14:14-16). Another angel (above) comes out of the temple in heaven, also holding a sickle. And yet another angel (on the right) speaks from the altar and asks the angel in heaven to throw his sharp sickle and harvest the grapes of the earth as they are ripe (Rev 14:17-18). The angel gathered the grapes of the earth. The grapes are trodden outside of the city; a demon casts them into a great wine vat which fills with blood, overflows and floods part of the earth (Rev 14:19-20). Another sign appears in heaven in the form of seven angels holding seven vials and singing the new song of God to the sound of their harps. The vials contain God's wrath and it is revealed that the plagues they contain will be the last ones to occur and that no one will enter the temple of God in heaven until the plagues are complete (Rev 15:1-4). Outline of the events illustrated in the fifth hanging. This scene shows the seven angels receiving their vials (Rev 15:5-8). The first six vials are emptied. The first vial brings on earth a "foul and malignant sore" afflicting the followers of the beast. The second and third vials are poured on water turning the sea and the rivers to blood and killing everything in it in the process. The fourth vial is poured on the sun which scorches the earth and even burns some people with fire. The fifth vial plunges the kingdom of the beast into darkness and the sixth one dries up the Euphrates River facilitating the crossing of the armies from the east on their way to Israel for the battle of Armageddon. This picture shows how three frogs are coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet after the sixth vial has been poured out. They are spirits of demons and go out to the kings of the whole earth to gather them for the battle of Armageddon. The seventh vial is poured in the air provoking an earthquake levelling every mountain into the sea followed by huge hailstones and lightning (Rev 16:1-21). This scene shows the great prostitute. Although she looks beautiful and young, her reflection in the mirror is of an old woman: her beauty is a lure and has seduced the people of the earth and their kings (Rev 17:1-2). The great prostitute on the beast (Rev 17:3-18). The entire 17th chapter is quite symbolic: an angel takes John in his arms and explains him the meaning of what he is seeing. The woman who is referred to as the great prostitute stands for Babylon, the great city who rules over the kings of the earth. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stones and pearls. She sits on a scarlet beast with 7 heads (representing 7 kings) and 10 horns (representing 10 kings). She is described as the "Mother of Harlots" and is drunk with the blood of the saints indicating her intense involvement in persecution. She comes to power and rules the kings and people of the earth. The fall of Babylon. The ten kings ruling the kingdoms that gave their power to the prostitute eventually grow tired of her influence and overthrow her. Her destruction causes the kings and merchants of the earth to mourn her death. The town becomes home of demons, a den of everything unclean and hateful, be it spirit or bird. This causes the merchants of the earth to weep because no one is able to buy their products any more and they flee the city (Rev 18:1-20). Outline of the events illustrated in the sixth and final hanging. Babylon has fallen and the lamb is ready to wed his bride who is the symbol of his followers. A "white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True" is introduced. Jesus Christ is the rider and he leads the war between the people of God and the rest of the world with justice (Rev 19:11-16). Note how the evil people are pictured: their helmets and armours are typical of the English army who was waging war against the French in the Hundred Years War. After the war has finished the beast of the sea and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire while all the other enemies are killed and their corpses left out on the field for the birds to devour their flesh. Only Satan remains, he is imprisoned in the abyss (bottomless pit) for a thousand years. The saints who had died are resurrected and begin their thousand-year reign with Christ (Rev 19:19-21). After the thousand years, Satan is released from the abyss to deceive the nations and set siege to the camp of the saints and the city of Jerusalem. A fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours Satan and his helpers: Satan is finally destroyed forever. The wicked dead and all of those who died during the thousand-year reign of Christ are resurrected and judged in the Last Judgement (Rev 20:1-9). A new heaven and a new earth with the New Jerusalem (the world to come) replace the old heaven and earth. There is no more suffering or death (Rev 21:1-14). An angel gives a ruler to John to measure the New Jerusalem and John sets to describe the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:15-21).



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Quality and precision of the weavers' work

This second gallery demonstrates the workmanship of the weavers and the profusion of details found in the tapestry.

First hanging, scene 11: detail of the third horseman of the apocalypse (third seal). Can you spot his black horse?
First hanging, scene 12: Death, the fourth horseman of the apocalypse on its pale horse bringing death and suffering to the people of the earth (fourth seal). First hanging, scene 12: detail showing the fate of the people tormented by the fourth horseman (fourth seal). First hanging, scene 12: detail showing a demon tormenting the people of the earth (fourth seal). First hanging, scene 13: John watching the souls of the martyrs as they cry out to God for vengeance and entry to heaven (fifth seal). Second hanging, scene 07: detail showing the effect of the sounding of the second trumpet which kills a third of the sea creatures and destroys a third of the ships at sea. Second hanging, scene 07: John is weeping as he witnesses the effect of the sounding of the second trumpet (which kills a third of the sea creatures and destroys a third of the ships at sea). Second hanging, scene 09: detail of the apparition of the eagle of doom after the fourth trumpet has been blown. Second hanging, scene 13: detail of the seven thunders uttering mysteries and secrets to be kept from the world and locked in a little book. Second hanging, scene 13: detail of John's face as he listens to the seventh angel asking him to seal in the little book the mysteries he has just heard from the seven thunders and to not write about them (he will have to eat the little book to make sure the secrets are kept). Third hanging, the reader. An insect flying around the chair where the reader of this hanging is sitting. Third hanging, scene 08: St Michael fighting the dragon. Detail of the dragon receiving stab wounds. Third hanging, scene 08: St Michael fighting the dragon. John looks very concerned and worried as to the outcome of the fight. Third hanging, scene 09: the dragon is angry and spits fire as the woman receives wings from an angel with which she can escape from its reach. Third hanging, scene 12: the apparition of the beast of the sea. Detail showing the dragon as he hands out a sceptre to the beast of the sea, granting it the authority to rule the earth. The hand holding the sceptre on this picture is the one of the beast. The dragon's hand is a bit lower, not to be seen on this snapshot. Third hanging, scene 14: the adoration of the beast of the sea. Detail showing the top part of the beast of the sea with its seven heads and ten horns each topped by a crown. Fourth hanging, scene 11: detail of the harvesting of the earth by the chosen ones. Fourth hanging, scene 13: detail of a demon casting the grapes of the earth into a great wine vat which fills with blood, overflows and floods part of the earth. Fourth hanging, scene 14: detail showing one of the seven angels holding a harp and singing the new song. Fifth hanging, the reader. An insect flying around the chair where the reader of this hanging is sitting. It looks quite cute. Fifth hanging, scene 08: detail of the great prostitute. Although she looks beautiful and young, her reflection in the mirror is of an old woman: her beauty is a lure and has seduced the people of the earth and their kings Fifth hanging, scene 10: the fall of Babylon. Detail showing a scared demon falling down with the city. Fifth hanging, scene 10: the fall of Babylon. Detail showing another demon attacked by a bird. Sixth hanging, scene 03: the white horse of Jesus Christ as he leads the war and charges the beasts. Sixth hanging, scene 03: the beasts charged by the rider on the white horse. Note how the evil people are pictured: their helmets and armours are typical of the English army who was waging war against the French in the Hundred Years War. Sixth hanging, scene 04: the beast of the sea and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire. Detail showing how all the other enemies are killed and their corpses either burnt or left out on the field for the birds to devour their flesh. Sixth hanging, scene 04: detail of one of the riders of God following Jesus and charging the beasts and their followers into death. Sixth hanging, scene 10: detail of the New Jerusalem.

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Go back to Amiens: Musée de Picardie or go on to Bordeaux: Musée d'Aquitaine or go up to Museums

$updated from: Museums.htxt Mon 04 Mar 2024 16:04:48 trvl2 (By Vero and Thomas Lauer)$