St. John Receives the Prophecy – Apocalypse by Jean Le Clerc
VISION D’UN ANGE AYANT UN LIVRE EN MAIN
Translation: Vision of an Angel Holding a Book in His Hand
This engraving illustrates Revelation 10:1–10, in which a mighty angel descends from heaven, described as clothed in a cloud with a face like the sun and feet like pillars of fire. He holds a little book and speaks with divine authority. Saint John is instructed to take and eat the book, symbolizing the reception of prophecy.
Circa 1600-1630
Born: 1587 or 88 - Died: 1633
Dimensions: Approx 13.5 x 17.5 cm.
Jean Le Clerc (1587/88–1633) was a French Baroque painter and etcher from Nancy, in the Duchy of Lorraine. Trained under the Venetian master Carlo Saraceni, Le Clerc developed a tenebrist style characterized by dramatic contrasts of light and shadow. While only a few of his paintings survive, his numerous etchings and engravings have been preserved, showcasing his skill in depicting religious themes with luminous detail.
The Book of Revelation or Book of the Apocalypse is the final book of the New Testament. Written in Koine Greek, its title is derived from the first word of the text: apokalypsis, meaning ‘unveiling’ or ‘revelation’. The author names himself as simply “John” in the text, but his precise identity remains uncertain. The book is also known as the “Revelation to John”, or “Apocalypse of St. John” and begins with a series of visions he received on the island of Patmos and wrote down in a cave on that island in the Agean.
Latin verses (bottom border):
(Partially trimmed but reconstructable based on the image and typical poetic structure. Full Latin appears to be):
Celsior ecce polo libros Archangelus offert
Mandata et magni numinis ore legit
Translation:
Behold, from the heights of heaven the archangel offers a book,
And reads aloud the commands of the great divinity.
I. le clerc ex
This is the signature of Jean Le Clerc (Latinized: Ioannes Le Clerc), meaning “drawn/engraved by Le Clerc.”
Condition: trimmed at bottom.