Lazarus in de hemel en de rijke man in de hel 1629

This woodcut, made by Christoffel van Sichem II, presents a dramatic vision of the afterlife, diving deep into symbolic imagery. Here we see a layered cosmos, from the earthly realm to the fiery depths of hell. The serpent, slithering between worlds, is an ancient symbol. In Judeo-Christian tradition, it embodies temptation and the fall of man, echoing through time from the Garden of Eden to its depiction here as a constant presence. Serpents also appear in the Babylonian myth of the hero Gilgamesh, who loses the secret of immortality when a serpent steals the plant conferring eternal life from him. The eternal fire consuming the damned evokes the collective fear of divine punishment. This symbol transcends cultures, appearing in the Greek myths of Tartarus, where eternal torment awaits the wicked. Such recurring motifs highlight our shared, subconscious anxieties about morality. Ultimately, this image underscores the cyclical nature of symbols. They resurface, evolve, and find new meanings in various historical contexts, constantly engaging us on a deep, emotional level.