The Last Judgment (Schr. 619) 15th century

This small woodcut, “The Last Judgement,” an early print, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, presents a vision of divine reckoning, its creator lost to history. In this compact scene, consider the emotional weight of the figures emerging from their graves, facing judgment. The print serves as a potent reminder of the medieval preoccupation with salvation and damnation. Christ, the central figure, appears with arms spread, signaling a choice between redemption and eternal suffering. To his left and right, a woman and a man stand as intercessors, perhaps representing the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, bridging the earthly and divine realms. “The Last Judgement” encapsulates the era's social anxieties and spiritual hopes. It serves as both a reflection and a warning, capturing the deeply personal and communal quest for meaning in an uncertain world.