Why was The Last Judgment made, and how was it used?
Tommy Leimkuhler, College of the Holy Cross, Class of 2025
This painting is meant to remind people of the inevitability of the Last Judgment. This painting portrays the sacrifice Jesus made as well as the two fates people may face upon their final judgment. In the bottom left-hand corner kneel the souls of the saved. In the bottom right corner the souls of the damned weep in torment. These two groups are divided by the river of blood flowing from Christ's wounds. The damned are beaten and tortured by demons; the saved are worshiping Christ. The painting encourages people to follow the path of the saved and live morally while worshiping Jesus. Should they fall out of faith with Christ, they will suffer.
This painting was probably completed shortly before the plague known as the Black Death, which spread across Europe in the late 1340s. The Black Death added to the prominence of religion in people's lives, as many viewed the plague as a sign of God’s judgment.
