Timpaan met de voorstelling van het Laatste Oordeel uit de Kathedraal van Autun 1850 - 1900

This photograph, taken by Médéric Mieusement, captures the tympanum of Autun Cathedral, presenting the Last Judgement in a play of light and shadow. The composition centers on the figure of Christ, framed by a mandorla, whose symmetry is echoed in the balanced chaos of rising souls and descending demons. Mieusement frames the scene in such a way that highlights the stark contrast between salvation and damnation; the materiality of the stone is softened by the photographic medium, yet the message is clear. This binary reflects not just religious dogma but also broader structuralist themes of opposition and categorization inherent in human understanding. The arrangement of figures, frozen in their eternal fate, provokes contemplation on the arbitrariness of such divisions, questioning fixed moral codes through its visual narrative. The photograph's enduring power lies in its ability to capture a moment of judgement that resonates beyond its religious context, prompting ongoing re-evaluation.