The Beast from the Earth (Bamberg Apocalypse)

This manuscript illumination depicts a serpentine, winged beast with two horns emerging from a brownish field. To the left, a figure with a halo, dressed in white and purple robes, points toward the creature. To the right, a group of six men with varied expressions stand upon a white, cloud-like formation; their hands are extended in gesture. The creature has a long, spotted tail that curls at the base, and it emits a long, red tongue from its open, toothy mouth.

This illumination is derived from the Revelation of John, specifically depicting the second beast described in Revelation 13:11, which appears like a lamb but speaks like a dragon to deceive the inhabitants of the earth. It represents a key visual component of the Ottonian-era Bamberg Apocalypse, produced for the imperial court of Otto III or Henry II.