Laatste Oordeel 1588 - 1595

This is Johann Sadeler's engraving, 'The Last Judgement', made around 1590 in the Netherlands. It's a powerful image of divine reckoning, but also an insight into the religious and social anxieties of its time. The engraving visually articulates the doctrines of the Catholic Church, particularly around salvation and damnation. The figures are caught in moments of intense emotion as they face their ultimate fate. Consider the social context: the Netherlands was embroiled in religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Images like this were tools in the Counter-Reformation, reaffirming Catholic beliefs in the face of Protestant challenges. Sadeler's work was often commissioned by wealthy patrons and religious institutions, so he had to express very specific ideas within his art. To fully understand Sadeler's work, we can turn to historical documents like religious treatises, political pamphlets, and records of artistic patronage. These sources help us appreciate how art is always shaped by the social forces of its time.