Lucas van Leyden: Last Judgment (1526-1527)

(Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden, The Netherlands)

A very big altarpiece from the Dutch painter Lucas van Leyden (1494-1533). This piece was commissioned by the children of Claes Dircks van Swieten, woodmerchant and member of the citycouncil, of Leiden in memory of their father. The painting was placed in the Pieterskerk in Leiden. The painting itself shows the Last Judgment or Judgment Day from the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. God, the Holy Spirit, Christ and the 12 apostels are in the center with the dead rising from their graves below them. The good souls go the the right side of Christ to heaven while the damned souls are taken by devils to the mounth of hell - on the left side of Christ (hell is always on the left side of Christ in these paintings). The donors of this painting are not represented which is unusual. Painting from 1526-1527.