This shirt is a depiction of The Four Riders of the Apocalypse, based on engravings over 450 years old. The four horseman are derived from The Book of Revelation, and symbolize the evils to come at the end of the world. They appear with the opening of the seven seals that bring forth the cataclysm of the apocalypse.
The first horseman rides a white horse, which is often said to symbolize Christ. The second horseman rides a red horse and represents war and bloodshed. The third horseman rides a black horse and represents famine; the fourth horseman rides a pale horse and represents pestilence and death.
With the arrival of the Corona Virus, there appears to be an increase in Internet searches relating to the Four Horsemen and the apocalypse. I guess some people are just curious, some always fear the worst. If Corona were to be associated with the horsemen, it would be represented by the fourth horsemen, which represents pestilence (or disease and plague). Anyway, the concept of the horsemen is interesting, and there's definitely some great artwork depicting what they might look like if they appeared on earth.
So, we decided to create a shirt that pays homage to the four horsemen. Our shirt uses artwork by Albrecht Durer, done way back in 1498! Also on the shirt is verbiage from The Book of Revelation, which describes each of the four horsemen:
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals....there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
When the Lamb opened the second seal...another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.
When the Lamb opened the third seal...there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand...
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal...I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.