Getty Museum

The Great Harlot on the Beast

Date

about 1255–1260

Medium

Tempera colors, gold leaf, colored washes, pen and ink

Culture

English

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

The angel takes Saint John to the desert, where he sees the great harlot sitting on the beast with seven heads and ten horns. Here the horns impale ten gold balls to form a diadem, though this section of the text does not mention the beast as crowned. The woman is "clothed round about with purple and scarlet, and gilt with gold, and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of the abomination and filthiness of her sin." (Apocalypse 17:4) The angel to whom John clings raises a finger in admonition, pointing to the harlot.

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