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The Last Judgment by Hieronymus Bosch

The Last Judgment

Hieronymus Bosch · 1478

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“Step into a world where salvation is scarce and damnation is vivid. This engraving, designed in the fantastical style of Hieronymus Bosch, offers a chilling, detailed vision of the Last Judgment, teeming with grotesque creatures and tormented souls.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

This engraving, titled "The Last Judgment," plunges us into a chaotic vision of good and evil. In the upper left, a narrow chasm offers a sliver of hope, through which a select few souls are ushered into heaven. Below, the scene explodes with a nightmarish battle, where grotesque devils torment the damned. The creatures here, with their undulating forms, rowdiness, and even flatulence, are characteristic of the fantastical imagery associated with Hieronymus Bosch. While the print is inscribed "Bosche" (likely referring to the artist's birthplace, 's-Hertogenbosch) at the top, the engraving itself was made by Alart du Hameel, possibly based on a now-lost painting by Bosch. This collaboration or interpretation captures the artist's unique ability to visualize humanity's deepest fears and the consequences of sin in vivid, unsettling detail.

DETAILS
Artist
Hieronymus Bosch
Date
1478
Medium
Engraving in black on buff laid paper
Location
Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions
24.2 × 35.1 cm (9 9/16 × 13 7/8 in.)
Collection
Prints and Drawings
Culture
Netherlands
Credit line
Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.
ART MOVEMENTS
Northern Renaissance
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The Last Judgment

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01

The burdened pilgrim

On the left panel, a bearded man in pale robes strides barefoot, leaning forward under a bundle slung on a long staff. His bent, heavy walk sets a weary tone for the panel.

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02

The elegant young man

Under the arch on the right, a slender young man in a cap and draped cloak stands stiffly, in sharp contrast to the pilgrim's stooped, weary walk.

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03

Crowd at the doorway

At the right edge, a small figure reaches up toward a larger one, while a hooded man crouches in shadow at the left of the room. Both sit close to the young man, who stands apart and calm.

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04

Drawn hand on paper

A sheet on the floor by his feet shows a drawn hand. It is a small, odd detail in a bare room, and it invites the eye to puzzle over it.

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05

Carved frame and shields

Beneath each panel, a pale shield hangs within dark Gothic tracery with leafy curling forms. The bright carved shapes make a rich base for the quiet scenes above.

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THE ARTIST

Hieronymus Bosch

1450–1516 · Northern Low Countries

Hieronymus Bosch, a Dutch painter from the Northern Low Countries, filled his oak panels with fantastic illustrations of religious concepts, from the Garden of Eden to macabre depictions of hell.

Read Bosch’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Bosch

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The Garden of Paradise The Garden of Paradise 1495 · Art Institute of Chicago The Conjurer (The Juggler) The Conjurer (The Juggler) 1502 The Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi Noordbrabants Museum Panel Panel 1500 · Art Institute of Chicago Saint Francis Heals the Grievous Wounds of One John at Lerida, plate two from Woodcuts from Books of the XVI Century Saint Francis Heals the Grievous Wounds of One John at Lerida, plate two from Woodcuts from Books of the XVI Century 1512 · Art Institute of Chicago Mercury Lulling to Sleep Argus, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes Mercury Lulling to Sleep Argus, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes Art Institute of Chicago Mercury with Head of Argus in His Hand, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes Mercury with Head of Argus in His Hand, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes Art Institute of Chicago Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday Art Institute of Chicago
EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

More from Northern Renaissance

See the movement →
The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment van Eyck · 1440 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Saint Jerome in His Study Saint Jerome in His Study Dürer · 1521 · National Museum of Ancient Art
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Bosch and Northern Renaissance: works from the same years.

Portrait of a Musician Same era · 1460s–1490s Portrait of a Musician Leonardo da Vinci · 1485 · Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Virgin and Child with an Angel Same era · 1460s–1490s Virgin and Child with an Angel Sandro Botticelli · 1470 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Virgin and Child with Saint Anne Presenting Anna van Nieuwenhove Same era · 1460s–1490s Virgin and Child with Saint Anne Presenting Anna van Nieuwenhove Master of the View of Saint Gudula · 1479 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Lamentation Same era · 1460s–1490s The Lamentation Albrecht Dürer · 1477 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Adoration of the Christ Child Same era · 1460s–1490s Adoration of the Christ Child Workshop of Andrea della Robbia · 1479 · Art Institute of Chicago Madonna and Child Same era · 1460s–1490s Madonna and Child Giovanni Bellini · 1470 · Musée Fesch Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Same era · 1460s–1490s Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Pietro Perugino · 1493 · Uffizi Gallery
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