The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VI. Slimmer Pictures Little Horn Surmounted by Pope’s Triple Crown

TOBIAS STIMMER (1539-1584) was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. His father, a teacher, made use of his artistic inclinations to illuminate books in his spare time. We have no information concerning the education of Tobias or the early development of his artistic talents. The first time we hear of him is in 1562. From his early style of painting one could probably draw the conclusion that he spent some time in Venice. From 1565 to 1570 he worked in his home town, where he became famous through a great fresco painting. Subsequently he was called to Strassburg to decorate the famous astronomical clock of the cathedral. Here in Strassburg, getting acquainted with the prominent printers of the time, as Fischart, Feyerabend of Frankfurt am Main, and Thomas Gwarin of Basel, he was inspired to attempt wood carving, and reached such perfection in this art that he contributed much to its last golden age. PFF2 345.4

Picture 1: ILLUSTRATED EXPOSITIONS MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE
Virgil Soils, of Nürnberg, in 1560 Portrays the Four Prophetic World Empires of Daniel 7, Followed by the Fifth, Which “Antichrist Erects” (Upper); and Tobias Stimmer’s Deception, in 1576, of the Same Four Prophetic Beasts, Duly Named, and With the Triple Crown on the Roman Fourth (Lower). See Pages 314 and 347
Page 347

His most significant contributions were his New Artistic Illustrations of Scripture History. These illustrations were so well done that even most brilliant painters in later times, like Rubens, liked to copy them and to learn from them. ⁴⁸ For our purpose it is important to note how he handled the prophetic subjects. For instance, in Daniel 2 the prophet Daniel is portrayed as expounding to Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of the great image of Daniel 2, which is pictured, with the stone from the mountain prepared to smite the image, and the winds ready to carry away the chaff. Beneath is a descriptive caption concerning the four monarchies soon to be destroyed by the stone. PFF2 347.1

1. GRAPHIC CARTOONS OF FOUR POWERS OF Daniel 7

However, it is the portrayal of Daniel 7 that is expressive and typical of the Reformation position. The four beasts appear in a row, emerging from the sea of nations. The four winds are blowing upon the sea from angelic mouths. The names Assyria, Persia, Grecia, and Rome appear beneath the respective beasts. And among the ten horns of Rome, the Little Horn has emerged with a man’s head upon it surmounted by the triple crown of the pope. The caption reads, “These explain the four world kingdoms.” (Facsimile appears on page 346.) So by voice, pen, and graphic cartoon, the prophetic symbols of Daniel and the Apocalypse were presented in an ever-mounting total. And the emphasis was always on the Papacy as the Antichrist of the various prophetic symbols. PFF2 347.2