JOHN MARTIN, 1853

John Martin (1789 – 1854) was an English painter, engraver, and illustrator. A leading member of the Romantic movement, he was best known for his dramatic landscapes which saw him explore themes of the sublime and fantastical.

The Last Judgement (1853) is part of a triptych which shows the apocalypse as described in the Book of Revelation. Surrounded by heavenly light, God sits on a throne at the centre of the painting, passing judgement on the world. 

On the left are the saved, who have gathered in the Celestial City. Portraits of many great men that Martin admired, like Raphael, Copernicus, and Shakespeare, can be seen among the group. On the right, tumbling into Hell with all their worldly luxuries, are the damned.

The Last Judgement was one of the last major works Martin produced before his death, and the triptych is often considered to be his masterpiece.