On 15 August 1551, the painter Pieter Pourbus delivers this Last Judgement painting. He then receives his final payment, and for his magnificent achievement the satisfied client gives him an additional tip. This customer is, in fact, the aldermen of the Liberty of Bruges, a large administrative area surrounding the city. This monumental work by Pourbus was intended for their courtroom. The Last Judgement served as a permanent reminder to the aldermen, who were also judges, of the moment at which God – the supreme judge – would decide their fate. With this in mind, they would be well advised to deliver fair judgements…
What do we see? A traditional yet innovative presentation of the Last Judgement. At the top, the dynamic figure of Christ is surrounded by saints. He delivers his judgement, ushering pious believers into heaven with his right hand, whilst sending sinners to the fires of hell with his left. The result is immediately visible on earth: graves open up and, to the right, chaos and panic ensue. To the left, the lucky ones ascend to heaven, helped by angels. To the right, devils are at work. Pourbus drew inspiration from figures such as Jan Provoost, who twenty-six years earlier had also painted a Last Judgement for the town hall of Bruges. This earlier work is also part of the museum’s collection.
We have described the depiction as traditional yet innovative. Yet anyone familiar with Michelangelo’s Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel will probably recognise the grand gestures and sturdy, muscular figures at the bottom, such as the man who climbs out of his grave by placing one foot on the ground. In 1551, Michelangelo’s work was just ten years old. Pourbus would probably have been familiar with the monumental Roman fresco from prints.