Maarten de Vos
Flemish, 1532 ‑ 1603
The Terrifying Advent of Christ, 1582
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, heightened with white on paper, mounted on laid paper
7 5/8 × 9 3/4 in. (19.4 × 24.8 cm.)
Gift of the Charter Collectors  1970.55

A Dire Future
For someone studying this drawing during the late 1500s, it must have served as a frightening warning of things to come and a not-so-subtle reminder to focus on one’s salvation. It depicts the end of the world and the Last Judgment of Christ as told in the book of Revelation. Stars crash to the ground, a ship sinks amid violent waves, and trumpet-blowing angels summon the blessed souls to heaven. In the foreground, a king, a priest, a soldier, and a rich man flee in terror. Apparently no one is exempt from God’s wrath, regardless of their position in society. Above, Christ sits in judgment atop a globe. The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist kneel beside him, interceding on behalf of mankind.