“The Last Judgement” by Hans Memling, between circa 1466 and circa 1473. Distemper, oil on panel, middle part of triptych 241 × 180.8 cm, wings 2 × 242 × 90 cm. Located at the National Museum, Gdańsk. Public Domain by www.aiwaz.net via Wikimedia Commons. Inv. No. MNG/SD/413/M.
An old site of the National Museum Gdańsk had this text from Krystyna Górecka – Petrajtis:
The „Last Judgement” is one of the earliest works painted by Hans Memling who was born in Seligenstadt on the Main River in 1440. During his artistic career he went through the whole valley of the Rhine to settle down in Bruges where he worked for the rest of this life. The triptych was painted between 1465 and 1471. The main scene is arranged in two parts. At the top we can see Christ sitting on a throne in a rainbow. He is accompanied by the Holy Virgin, St. John the Baptist and the Apostles. In the top corners there are angels who carry the symbols of Christ’s passion; between Heaven and the Earth angels announce the day of the Last Judgement. At the bottom there is a vast meadow bordered by a glowing horizon with Michael the Archangel who weighs the souls of the raised. To the right devils push a crowd of sinners down to Hell; it is shown on the altarpiece’s right leaf. The opposite side is occupied by a group of the just who calmly wait at the entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. On the left leaf they are welcomed by St. Peter at the foot of crystal stairs leading to Paradise’s gates.
The gates of heaven follow the general idea of the sacred mount: Valhalla / Camelot / Mount Olympus etc.
Source: Wikipedia
