Artwork
The Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Virgil Solis. It dates from 1538 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Last Judgment is a drawing created by German artist Virgil Solis in 1538, executed in pen and black and violet ink on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a chaotic religious scene of the Last Judgment, with naked figures emerging from the ground, some ascending while others float with wings amidst swirling clouds, winged beings with trumpets and scrolls, set against a rocky landscape with foliage.
Technique & Style
Solis achieved depth and volume without color through overlapping lines, characteristic of Renaissance sketching techniques, precursor to cross-hatching, to convey movement and emotion in a densely composed small space.
History & Provenance
Created in 1538 by Virgil Solis, a member of a prolific Nuremberg artist family, while working in Nuremberg.
Context
Reflects the artistic practices of 16th-century Nuremberg, blending religious themes with emerging Renaissance drawing techniques.
Legacy
No specific legacy or impact details are provided in the available information about this work.
Artist & collection
Artist
Virgil Solis or Virgilius Solis (1514 – 1 August 1562), a member of a prolific family of artists, was a German draughtsman and printmaker in engraving, etching and woodcut who worked in his native city of Nuremberg.
