The Last Judgment
1538
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1538
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Last Judgment is a 1538 ink by Virgil Solis, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a chaotic scene of naked figures rising from the ground, some reaching upward while others float with wings. Clouds swirl above, and a few winged beings hold trumpets or scrolls. The background looks like a rocky landscape with trees and bushes, all sketched in dark purple ink. The artist packed a lot of movement into small spaces—look how the lines overlap to create shadows and depth without color. This style was common in Renaissance sketches to show volume and emotion. Try searching cross-hatching to see how artists use layers of lines to build form.
