description Four Apostles Overview
The Four Apostles is a pair of monumental painted panels completed by Albrecht Dürer in 1526 and presented to the city council of Nuremberg. The figures are John and Peter on one panel and Mark and Paul on the other, accompanied by biblical passages warning against false prophets. Now in Munich's Alte Pinakothek, the work combines individualized characterization, saturated color, and commanding scale in one of Dürer's final major paintings.
help Four Apostles FAQ
Which four figures appear in Dürer's Four Apostles?
The left panel shows John in the foreground with Peter behind him. The right panel places Mark beside the dominant figure of Paul, although Mark was traditionally an evangelist rather than one of the Twelve Apostles.
Why did Dürer give the panels to Nuremberg's city council?
Dürer presented the paintings to the council in 1526 during the early Reformation. The German biblical inscriptions beneath the figures warn civic leaders against false prophets and the distortion of scripture.
Are the Four Apostles one painting or two?
The work consists of two tall panels designed as a pair. Their monumental standing figures, linked composition, and matching inscriptions make them a unified statement despite the physical division.
Where can Dürer's Four Apostles be seen today?
The panels are held by the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. They were originally made for Nuremberg, and their later removal to Bavaria became part of the work's complicated civic history.
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