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France 2010
Day 12 - 13th October - Angers: Tapestry of the Apocalypse (Part 2)
As previously mentioned, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse is the longest in the world. It illustrates scenes from the Book of Revelation, so naturally St John is in each scene. The style is a transition from Gothic-Flemish to Flemish-Realism.
Despite the traditional meaning of "apocalypse", here "apocalypse" refes to the Book of Revelation, and not the end of the world.
Death (on a horse) goes after the lamb, Evangelist and Kings
Christ with a sword in his mouth.
Christ, the 4 Evangelists, 24 Kings
Christ is the only one who can open the 7 seals
The tapestry also had propaganda value, being made as it was during the Hundred Years War.
Edward III as Satan opens the gates of hell with locusts
The Black Prince (see the Ostrich Feather) killing 1/3 of the world's population
Idol worship - Satan is the Dragon, and he's giving the sceptre to the Leopard Beast
Witnesses resurrected by doves, the Dragon attacking the Child of the Virgin Mary (and an angel taking her away), Idol Worship
The tapestry was huge. It's one thing to read about these things and another to see them.
The beasts performing miracles, for example making the sky rain blood
People forced to worship the statue of the Lord Beast. If they do not, they are put to the sword
Charles V of France harvesting: he is reaping the rewards of his reign (normally this would be Christ, crowned by God above, harvesting the souls of the just)
Apparently I didn't take down notes for this bit. I will explain below.
The Whore of Babylon is looking at herself in the mirror (notice the 'hideous' face that looks back)
The Whore is astride the beast
The Devil (and an English Man-at-Arms) is chased into the earth and sealed for 1,000 years
An angel gives St John a golden cane at the End of the World
René I (1434–1480) became King of Jerusalem - even though the last Crusader Stronghold had been lost in 1291.