Saint John Eats the Book Received from the Angel (Ms. Ludwig III 1, fol. 15v, from the Getty Apocalypse)

Unknown English painter · about 1255–1260
Getty Center, Los Angeles

Another page of the Getty Apocalypse, England, about 1255–1260. Like most pages of the book, it tells several moments in one band.

At the left John stands with his hand on his chest. In the middle an angel hands him a small book, which he receives on his knees, holding a measuring rod. At the right he puts the book to his mouth.

From the text

“Take it and eat it” (Revelation 10:9)

He takes the scroll from the angel and eats it (Revelation 10:10)

He is given a measuring rod (Revelation 11:1)

The artist’s own

The scroll as a small bound book

John shown three times

Details

John

He stands at the left.

The angel

He holds out a small book.

Kneeling

John receives the book.

Eating

At the right he puts it to his mouth.

Unknown illuminator, English (probably London). The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (Ms. Ludwig III 1 (83.MC.72), fol. 15v) · Tempera colors, gold leaf, colored washes, pen and ink · Images provided here are believed to be in the public domain and are available under CC0 through Getty’s Open Content Program. (Getty record: "No Copyright", http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

The verses

Rev 10:8–11Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the small scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.” And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.” “Take it and eat it,” he said. “It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” So I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it; and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter. And they told me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Rev 11:1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.