Enorme verschrikkingen op aarde voorafgaand aan het Laatste Oordeel 1593

This engraving, "Enormous Horrors on Earth Before the Last Judgment," was made by Wierix around the turn of the 17th century and it is printed on paper. The artwork presents a scene filled with cataclysmic events and figures. The composition is structured into distinct layers, moving from celestial events at the top to earthly chaos below. Wierix masterfully employs line and form. Notice how the dense hatching creates texture, especially in the tumultuous skies and turbulent waters, which evokes a sense of impending doom. The sharp contrast between light and shadow, is emphasizing the emotional intensity of the Last Judgment. There is a semiotic layering at play here. The signs in the sky, the figures of Christ and the angels, and the suffering masses on earth—form a visual language that speaks to the religious anxieties of the time. The artist destabilizes our understanding of cosmic order, questioning values, and using this moment of chaos to reflect on humanity's spiritual fate.