Het laatste oordeel, blad F 1530 - 1582

Giorgio Ghisi created this print titled ‘Het laatste oordeel, blad F’ in the sixteenth century. Ghisi, who lived through the High Renaissance, captured the anxieties of an era marked by religious and social upheaval. The print illustrates a chaotic scene of bodies, seemingly damned, falling into oblivion. These bodies are rendered with careful attention to musculature, and recall the classical ideals of beauty, yet their contorted poses and expressions suggest a departure from Renaissance harmony. The figures, stripped bare, evoke vulnerability and the loss of worldly status. During the Reformation, the Catholic Church faced criticism for its opulence, which led artists to question representations of the human form and divine judgment. Ghisi develops an alternative narrative, using the print medium to disseminate ideas widely, democratizing access to powerful imagery and challenging the status quo. As you consider this image, reflect on its representation of human struggle and the social context that gave rise to such a powerful vision of judgment and change.