The Last Judgment, by Memling (1470, c.)

The Last Judgment, by Memling (1470, c.)

The painting depicts the day of the final judgment. Christ is at the center, whereas the top half of the painting represents heaven and the bottom half represents the earth.

In the bottom half of the painting, the artist portrays a desexualized nudity: men and women, many still young, are shown naked without any signs of shame or sexual allure. Their bodies are still clearly sexually differentiated but all possibility of sexual interest or pleasure is gone, both for those going to heaven and for those going to hell. This desexualization is especially shocking because most of the resurrected bodies are presented as young and attractive.

Memling, Hans (c. 1433-1494)

National Museum in Gdańsk, Poland
http://www.mng.gda.pl/tryptyk/

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200331135536/http://www.mng.gda.pl/tryptyk/

Wikimedia Commons:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MemlingJudgmentCentre.jpg

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190615032055/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MemlingJudgmentCentre.jpg

1470, c.

Oil on panel.
Dimensions: 242 × 180.8 cm