Artwork
The Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Francesco di Lorenzo Rosselli. It dates from 1485 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Francesco di Lorenzo Rosselli’s engraving The Last Judgment, dated to around 1485, presents a densely populated vision of the Christian eschatological scene. Executed as a print, the work compresses a multitude of figures into a single, intricate tableau that illustrates the moment of divine reckoning.
Subject & Meaning
The image visualises the biblical Day of Judgment, with Christ or a central robed figure raising a cross as the axis of salvation and condemnation. Angels and demons vie for souls, directing the saved toward heavenly light and the damned toward fire, reflecting contemporary theological concepts of reward and punishment.
Technique & Style
Rosselli employs fine, intersecting lines and layered hatching to model forms and suggest depth despite the small scale of the print. The crisp incisions create a sense of three‑dimensionality, while the dense network of strokes conveys the chaotic energy of the moment.
History & Provenance
The engraving is attributed to Rosselli based on stylistic analysis and dated to the late 15th century. No specific ownership record precedes its appearance in early modern collections, and it remains a representative example of Italian devotional prints of the period.
Artist & collection
