Figuur uit het Laatste Oordeel van Lucas van Leyden 1768 - 1796

Pieter de Mare created this print, "Figuur uit het Laatste Oordeel van Lucas van Leyden," sometime in the late 18th century, riffing on a figure from Lucas van Leyden’s earlier work. De Mare, who lived through the Dutch Patriot revolution, evokes ideas of identity, judgment, and the body. The image presents a figure with long hair, clasped hands, and a naked torso, emerging from what appears to be a bed. Stripped bare, the figure confronts us, vulnerable yet present. We see a figure that deviates from traditional heroic portrayals. What does it mean to present a figure unclothed and seemingly caught in a moment of contemplation or anxiety? Consider the historical context: the 18th century was a time of significant social upheaval and philosophical questioning. The figure's vulnerability might reflect broader cultural anxieties about mortality, judgment, and the self. The work seems to ask, who are we when stripped of our societal roles?