Art and antichrist in medieval Europe

the long version

In this fascinating study of medieval iconography, Rosemary Muir Wright looks at the changing image of the Antichrist (and his female counterpart, the Whore of Babylon) through seven centuries. Taking the Beatus tradition as her starting point, Wright draws on many previously unpublished illuminated manuscripts, from throughout Europe. These illustrate the way in which the image of Antichrist was used, and how it changed through the centuries in response to the political environment. She examines its use for propaganda purposes during times of religious and political crises. The volume finishes with a detailed analysis of the image of the Whore of Babylon. This unique study will be extremely valuable to art historians and historians of the medieval period.