Purgatory c. 1480

This anonymous woodcut from c. 1480 depicts a scene of *Purgatory*, where souls are being punished for their sins. The image depicts a winged angel, hovering over flames, with numerous souls trapped in the fire. The scene is a striking example of the visual language used in the Late Middle Ages to convey the horrors of the afterlife and encourage religious piety. Woodcuts were a popular medium for disseminating religious imagery, and this piece showcases the detail and expressiveness achievable with this technique.