This study relates the utopian expectation of (early) medieval Apocalypse commentaries to exegesis and liturgy as well as to (later) medieval art. It provides a first-time ever discussion of the commentary by Berengaudus of Ferrières, establishes him as a Carolingian and rejects arguments for an 11th-12th-century date by way of an evaluation of extant ms. evidence. The book highlights Berengaudus' optimism about the promised new world of Apoc. 21-22. The commentary's 11th-12th-century popularity coincided with the rebuilding of churches and the author proposes a new interpretation of Romanesque Revelation iconography in Western France. In addition, the application of Berengaudus' vision to the Ghent Altarpiece permits a coherent reading of its iconology that serves as a corrective on recent studies.

Contributions by: Lawrence McCrank, Joseph O'Callaghan, Norman Roth, Jill Webster, Míkel de Epalza, Theresa Vann, Linda McMillin, James Brodman, Elena Lourie, Carmen Batlle, David Abulafia, Paul Padilla, Barisa Krekic, William Phillips, Thomas Glick