The Fall of Babylon
1546/1556
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (irreg.): 30.5 × 21.5 cm (12 × 8 7/16 in.) plate: 29.8 × 21 cm (11 3/4 × 8 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1946.21.285
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Fall of Babylon*, masterful engraving by French artist Jean Duvet, created between 1546 and1556. Measuring approximately 30.5 × 21.5 cm on laid paper, this intricate print captures a pivotal biblical scene from the Book of Revelation, the dramatic downfall of the ancient city as divine judgment unfolds. Duvet's work exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with apocalyptic themes, blending spiritual narrative with technical virtuosity. As one of the earliest prominent French engravers, Duvet pioneered a distinctive style marked by fine, expressive lines and complex compositions, in...
About the Artist
Jean Duvet · 1485–1570
Jean Duvet (1485–after 1562), a pioneering French goldsmith and engraver from the provincial heartlands of Dijon and Langres, emerged as the first significant printmaker in France. Born to a Dijon goldsmith, he trained in the family trade and rose swiftly, becoming master of the Dijon Goldsmiths' Guild by 1509. Duvet's early career blended goldsmithing with engraving; no specific teachers are docu...