Roundel with Descent of the Damned 1500 - 1510

This roundel, created by the Flemish painter Dieric Bouts sometime between 1500 and 1510, depicts the descent of the damned into hell. The scene is filled with grotesque figures, including a woman with a serpent tail pulling her hair as she descends towards the abyss. The demons, depicted in the foreground, are intricately detailed, with sharp teeth and clawed hands. This small-scale work, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, serves as a powerful reminder of the medieval belief in eternal damnation. The use of grisaille, a monochrome technique using shades of gray, adds to the somber atmosphere of the composition.