Fascinating allegorical engraving of an eagle, with vignettes from various chapters and verses of the Gospel of John.

The eagle is the symbol used to depict John the Apostle.

Most of the vignettes specifically provide numerical references to the various Chapters in which they appear.

The engraving comes from a collection by Johannes Buno (1617-1697), a Lutheran school teacher from Lüneburg, Germany. Buno's scarce work, a "Picture Bible", was filled with engravings to illustrate virtually every chapter of the Bible. The engravings include miniature pictorial elements and were intended as mnemonic devices to help the reader better remember the bible.

Buno's imagery reflects real artistry and personality, however, they were not intended for veneration, as that would have run contrary to Lutheran attitudes of the time. They were intended as a didactic instrument and thus did not offend his intended audience's sensibilities.

Buno's engravings are very rich and reward close examination with new discoveries.