Our Blog - Apocalypse Tapestry, Château of Angers, France

The Apocalypse Tapestry is a large medieval set of tapestries commissioned by Louis I, the Duke of Anjou, and woven in Paris between 1377 and 1382. It depicts the story of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation by Saint John the Divine in colorful images, spread over six tapestries that originally totaled 90 scenes, and were about six meters high, and 140 meters long in total.

The tapestry shows the story of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation by Saint John the Divine. In the 14th century, the Apocalypse was a popular story, focusing on the heroic aspects of the last confrontation between good and evil and featuring battle scenes between angels and beasts.

I don't know much about the Book of Revelation or its depiction of the Apocalypse, so I am putting these descriptions in based on what I can find in various references. The scenes alternate between red and blue backgrounds.

The first scene shows the 7 letters being sent to the 7 churches in Asia Minor. Each letter, as proclaimed by Jesus and recorded by John the Apostle, declares the triumphs and failings of the recipient churches and warns each congregation to repent. Next is Christ with the sword, with Saint John at his feet. Then, God in majesty (Rev 4,1-8) shows God in the middle, surrounded a bull, a lion, an angel, and an eagle.

Here is the "first seal", the rider on the white horse with a bow, from Rev 6, 1-2.

The second section talks about the 7 trumpets, Rev 7-10. This one is the 5th trumpet, the locusts from Rev 9, 1-12 (you can see the locusts coming out of the left).

Next picture I grabbed was from Rev 14, with the second angel announcing the fall of Babylon (here shown as the city falling into ruins). Then forward to Rev 18, and the fall of Babylon invaded by demons.