The BnF presents the first major exhibition dedicated to the Apocalypse. The Apocalypse? A dark, fear-inducing word, evoking the end of the world. For two thousand years, it has echoed through our culture and Western societies whenever a major catastrophe occurs—and today, it lingers in the background of our climate anxieties. And yet… the word actually means revelation, unveiling. In its biblical source, the Apocalypse speaks of a veil being lifted on the timeless kingdom that will unite believers in the heavenly Jerusalem. Could it be a word of hope, meant to dispel our deepest fears?
From the Middle Ages to the present day, the exhibition explores this imagery, showcasing some of the most prestigious manuscripts of the Apocalypse of John, rarely displayed fragments of the famous Angers Tapestry, and Dürer’s renowned series of engravings inspired by the text. It also brings together numerous masterpieces—paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations, rare books, and film excerpts—from the collections of the BnF and major French and European institutions, both public and private (Centre Pompidou, Musée d’Orsay, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, etc.).
Among the nearly 300 works featured are pieces by William Blake, Odilon Redon, Vassily Kandinsky, Ludwig Meidner, Natalia Goncharova, Otto Dix, Antonin Artaud, Unica Zürn, as well as contemporary artists such as Kiki Smith, Tacita Dean, Miriam Cahn, and Anne Imhof.
The exhibition at a glance
The exhibition opens across two galleries of the François-Mitterrand site with the section "The Book of Revelation," which immerses visitors in the Apocalypse of John, the most famous apocalyptic text of the Western world. It provides interpretative keys to the imagery associated with its various episodes—from the Seven Seals to the Last Judgment—shedding light on its original meaning: a positive revelation rather than a tragic end. By exploring this complex and infinitely rich text and displaying its visions alongside the many narratives interwoven within it, the exhibition seeks to reconnect with the message and warning that has endured for 2,000 years. Magnificent illuminated manuscripts and major artworks—paintings, sculptures, drawings, stained glass, and tapestries—demonstrate the importance and widespread influence of this text and its iconography during the Middle Ages, while also illustrating how its imagery has evolved and continues to shape contemporary thought.
The second part of the exhibition, titled "The Time of Catastrophes," focuses on the Apocalypse’s legacy in the arts, from Dürer to Brassaï, encompassing English sublime apocalypse and German Expressionism. It highlights how the text has inspired some of the greatest masterpieces in art history, reflecting the enduring fascination of artists—and, through them, of humanity itself—with this narrative, which intertwines plagues and the end of time with hope and the anticipation of a new world.
Far from limiting itself to the catastrophic vision of the Apocalypse, often perpetuated by post-apocalyptic literature, cinema, and comics, the exhibition returns to its original meaning by dedicating significant space to "The Day After." This section presents a collection of contemporary works, some of monumental scale (including pieces by Otobong Nkanga and Abdelkader Benchamma), that depict this "Day After"—marked by either divine wrath or the fury of the elements. It is around this "Day After" that the most imaginative fictions and representations emerge, staying true, in their own way, to the Apocalypse’s core idea: portraying catastrophe as the prelude to a new world order.
