Servants of God Marked on the Forehead – Apocalypse by Jean Le Clerc
LES SERVITEURS DE DIEU MARQUEZ AU FRONT
Translation: The Servants of God Marked on the Forehead
This image illustrates Revelation 7:1–4, where an angel commands that the servants of God be sealed, marked with a sign of their faith and loyalty, on their foreheads before any harm comes to the earth. The sealing is a sign of divine protection for the faithful amidst impending judgment.
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.
Gentibus e cunctis signantur millia multu
Qui propter Dominum sustinere crucem
Dum firmata satis reddatur sancta piorum
Turba solet pravis parcere saepe Deus
Translation:
From every nation, thousands are marked—
Those who bear the cross for the sake of the Lord.
Until the holy flock of the faithful is firmly restored,
God often spares the wicked for the sake of the just.
I. le clerc ex
This is the signature of Jean Le Clerc (Latinized: Ioannes Le Clerc), meaning “drawn/engraved by Le Clerc.”