The Last Judgment, from "The Dance of Death"

The Last Judgment, from "The Dance of Death" by Hans Holbein the Younger, is a pivotal work of graphic art created between 1521 and 1538. Executed as a highly detailed woodcut, this piece is the concluding image in the artist’s celebrated series, which explores the universal inevitability of mortality, known historically as the Totentanz. Although the designs were finalized early, the full collection of forty-one prints was published posthumously, quickly establishing the series as one of the most influential examples of graphic art of the Northern Renaissance.

Younger’s visual interpretation of The Last Judgment deviates slightly from the typical macabre scenes of the Totentanz cycle, focusing instead on the grand theological finale. The composition depicts the mass resurrection and the subsequent separation of humanity into the saved and the damned. The artist masterfully employs cross-hatching and fine lines, demonstrating the advanced technical capability achieved in the often-unforgiving medium of the woodcut. Younger’s ability to render complex dramatic scenes in such a small scale contributed significantly to the widespread dissemination of religious and philosophical ideas during the Reformation era.

This influential woodcut, recognized for its precision and historical importance, currently resides in the respected collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a landmark in the history of prints, the work testifies to the artist’s mastery of design for reproduction. Due to its status and age, this design, alongside the entirety of the series, is frequently referenced and studied, with many high-quality prints and related materials now available in the public domain.