Last Judgement (Altarpiece for the Church of the Holy Apostles in Cologne, central panel) 1435

Stefan Lochner rendered this panel of the Last Judgement altarpiece with oil on wood for the Church of the Holy Apostles in Cologne. Notice how the symmetry is split between the saved and the damned. The saved proceed with a calm collectedness toward the pearly gates, a motif that pulls from the classical theme of triumph: the procession. The damned, however, are in a state of disarray, having lost all hope. This can be seen through the figures’ disembodied, flailing limbs. The dismemberment motif is a powerful expression of chaos and the terrors that await them, contrasting with the divine order that the saved are progressing towards. The composition speaks to the human psyche, a powerful force that has engaged viewers on a subconscious level for centuries. This cyclical progression of symbols has resurfaced and evolved in different contexts throughout history, taking on new meanings that continue to move through time.