Hans Memling's The Last Judgment

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From 1467 to 1471 one of Hans Memling’s masterpieces, The Last Judgment, was being created. The Last Judgment included the ideal pieces of material to be considered the optimal Renaissance painting. Memling was able to incorporate the style of other painters in all of his paintings while focusing on his own style of realism. Memling formed almost all of his artwork with a realism Renaissance touch. Memling was born in Seligenstadt, Germany in 1440, and was later raised in Cologne where he served an apprenticeship with an unknown master. From 1455-1460 Memling worked with Rogier van der Weyden in The Netherlands where he started to recognize his love for art. In 1465 Memling settled in Bruges where he easily became one of the wealthiest most successful citizens in town. There he opened a large shop where he started to make portraits for patrons. Memling was described as, “A German-born painter active in Flanders, was one of the most …show more content…

Memling and Michelangelo both centered Christ in their painting, for it was meant for a Christian audience. In both paintings there is a specific section of the painting dedicated for Heaven and Hell. However, in Memling's The Last Judgment, Heaven is on the left and Hell is on the right, and in Michelangelo's The Last Judgment, Heaven is on the top and Hell is on the bottom. Consistent in both versions of The Last Judgment’s, there are angels and demons trying to pull the newly deceased souls into their world of Heaven or Hell. Some people are being pulled back and forth between Heaven and Hell, for their souls were not completely genuine during their time on Earth. Memling painted his creation from 1467-1471, and Michelangelo painted his in 1534, so some believe that the great Michelangelo borrowed ideas from Memling and other artists that painted The Last Judgement before him and his

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