Het laatste oordeel c. 1640 - 1660

Curator: Willem Basse created this engraving titled "The Last Judgement" sometime between 1640 and 1660. It’s a fairly busy piece depicting a celestial scene above, contrasted with the struggles of figures down below. What's your initial reaction to it? Editor: Okay, my gut reaction is a bit chaotic, almost theatrical. All those bodies writhing! It’s like a Hieronymus Bosch painting had a baby with a Renaissance parade float, but then it’s rendered as an old photo that came from Great-grandma’s drawer. Dark and intense. Curator: It’s fascinating how Basse translates such an epic theme into the language of Baroque printmaking. Look closely at the compositional strategies he employs to convey the hierarchy. Consider the ways divine figures like Christ, up above, are literally elevated over suffering mortals, emphasizing their power. Editor: Power is the right word, definitely. Christ with a regal pose and the figures off to the sides seem unmoved by the figures. Some are serene, and others like that character with a horn that looks almost weaponized are enjoying themselves a little too much if you ask me! I'd imagine that Basse created "The Last Judgement" with his thoughts and feelings about power, like the religious institution of his time or a monarch. I suppose the chaos makes the idea of judgement really real, it’s almost like that panic we get with final exams…! Curator: I appreciate that personal take. When we delve deeper into its historical and social contexts, we see a period of profound religious and political upheaval. The engraving emerges as a symbolic reflection on the moral consequences of human actions and also as an assertion of religious authority amid widespread uncertainty. The inclusion of scriptural text, with passages in different languages underscores that the message is meant for all. Editor: All are welcome to receive his judgement, or rather it applies to all. True that. Those firey pits feel especially relevant right now, too! A place where history and moral philosophy come together, kind of how it also appears in our emotional core— the end of days, as a kind of punishment or maybe even purification. Curator: That resonates, this engraving makes me reflect on power dynamics. Editor: Absolutely, all in all this has that familiar apocalyptic dread coupled with an almost mischievous energy, like… is there a fast pass lane up to Heaven somewhere in this piece?