The Book of Miracles: 16th-century apocalyptic visions in pictures | Art and design

Rediscovered a few years ago, an illustrated manuscript from 1550s Augsburg, Germany, shows awe-inspiring tales of the Old Testament, the Book of Revelation and contemporary events. Taschens new edition adds historical context

The Book of Miracles: 16th-century apocalyptic visions – in pictures

Rediscovered a few years ago, an illustrated manuscript from 1550s Augsburg, Germany, shows awe-inspiring tales of the Old Testament, the Book of Revelation and contemporary events. Taschen’s new edition adds historical context

Main image: A burning torch in 1009. Photograph: Taschen

Fri 4 Aug 2017 12.09 EDT Last modified on Wed 19 Oct 2022 10.20 EDT

  • In the year 1506, a comet appeared for several nights and turned its tail towards Spain. In this year, a lot of fruit grew and was then completely destroyed by caterpillars or rats. This was followed by an earthquake, so great and violent that in Constantinople, many buildings were destroyed and people perished.

  • A sea monster and a beast with a lamb’s horns

  • In the year 1009, the sun went dark and the moon was seen as red and a great earthquake struck. This was followed by the death of many people and famine throughout Germany and Italy.

  • In 1552, a terrible storm with hail descended on Dordrecht in Holland. It lasted about half an hour. Several of the stones weighed up to a few pounds.

  • In the year 1531, a great whale was seen in the sky. This was followed by great earthquakes, so that about two hundred houses collapsed and more than a thousand people were killed.

  • Golden balls in 73BC

  • In the year 1531, a bloody vision with a sword in its hand was seen near Strasbourg and in other parts, as well as a fiery citadel and an armed host on horseback.

  • In 1533, flying dragons were seen in Bohemia. This then went on for several days, with over four hundred of them, both big and small, flying together.

  • The beast from the bottomless pit

  • In 1496, at the time the Tiber burst its banks high and wide near Rome, a creature appeared.
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