Albrecht Dürer. Apocalisse

Da venerdì 24 aprile e fino al 31 luglio 2026 the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna presents, in the Sala Clementina, the dossier exhibition Albrecht Dürer, Apocalypse, dedicated to the woodcuts that the German artist produced to illustrate the final book of the New Testament. In addition to the frontispiece, it brings together fifteen sheets that demonstrate Dürer’s mastery as a creator of extraordinary images and highlight his exceptional skill in printmaking.

Curated by Elena Rossoni with Giulia Adami, the exhibition builds on a series of initiatives centred on the collection in the The Department of Prints and Drawings of the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, one of the most important in Italy, comprising thousands of pieces. In this context, Albrecht Dürer, Apocalypse forms part of a wider strategy to showcase works that remain largely unexplored, through projects combining scholarly rigour with accessibility and fostering an ongoing dialogue between conservation, research, and public engagement.

TheApoclypsis cum figuris (Apocalypse with Pictures), represented here by the fifteen woodcuts on display, was the first printed work to be conceived and published by an artist, who not only devised and designed the images but likely also carved the woodblocks himself. It is also the earliest example of an edition in which full-page illustrations are placed on the recto, accompanied by the sacred text on the verso, offering readers an innovative dual narrative, both visual and textual. The woodcuts in the Pinacoteca belong to the 1511 Latin edition, in which Dürer – unlike the highly successful 1498 editions in Latin and German – introduced a new illustrated frontispiece. Here, John the Evangelist, traditionally identified as the author of the Apocalypse or Book of Revelationappears intent on recording his vision while gazing towards the Virgin and Child seated on a crescent moon. He is also the focus of the opening plate, the Martyrdom of Saint John derived from the Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine. The subsequent images illustrate the vision in accordance with the biblical text, through richly detailed scenes populated by divine figures, the blessed and the damned, angels and demons, moving and contorting against backgrounds of Northern landscapes and cities.

The woodcuts of theApoclypsis form part of the extensive Dürer Print Collection held by the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, comprising works of exceptional quality. Now numbering 289 pieces, it was assembled over time through significant donations and acquisitions, beginning with the foundational gift made in 1715 by Luigi Ferdinando Marsili to the Istituto delle Scienze, from which the present holdings originate. In addition to the Apocalypse, it includes major woodcut, engraving, and etching series, such as the Life of the Virgin, the Great Passion and the Small Passion.

The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of events, including a lecture, guided tours, and family activities. Within the galleries, a creative area allows visitors to experiment freely with materials and resources, engaging with word and image and exploring new expressive possibilities at their own pace.

Lecture:
Thursday 28 May, 17:00
The Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer
By Giovanni Fara
Pinacoteca nazionale di Bologna, Aula Gnudi
→ Free admission with compulsory booking from Thursday 14 May 2026 via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/lapocalisse-di-albrecht-durer-tickets-1987596094423?aff=oddtdtcreator

Guided tours
Saturday 2 May, 17:00
Saturday 9 May, 17:00
Saturday 23 May, 17:00
Sabato 20 giugno, ore 17
→ Tours included in the admission ticket, subject to availability
→ Booking required via email: mn-bo.visiteguidate@cultura.gov.it, specifying the full names of participants and the selected date.

ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
Sunday 24 May, 17:00
Sunday 14 June, 17:00
→ Activities are intended for children aged 6 to 11, accompanied by an adult; free admission, subject to availability
→ Booking required via email: mn-bo.prenotazioni@cultura.gov.it, specifying the full names of participants and the selected date (maximum one adult per child).