Mors de la Pomme, Judgment

Judgment

Holbein: Judgment Day

Note: The end of the Ambrosiana manuscript is lacking so we only know the text for this and the following pages from the BnF Français 17001.

The story of the apple ends with the Judgment, just as Hans Holbein would do half a century later.

The angel's words about "thy work" ties in with the Latin quote, which is from Psalms 138,8: »[…] O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands«.

Compared to Holbein's image (right), there are two theological differences. First, as a Protestant, Holbein shows the great common judgment of the resurrection. The title, »Dass Jüngst gericht« is in the singular. Mors de la Pomme, on the other hand, refers several times to the individual judgment, where each soul is lead before the judge immediately after death, "Le jugement particulier" (line 44, 140, 300, 390) and the individual damnation, "particulier dampnement" (line 408). See also the previous page.

Secondly, Judgment Day is a happy event for Holbein, where Jesus puts an end to the reign of Death. The resurrected people are happy, and Holbein has felt no need to show the punishment of the sinners. In contrast, the rest of "Mors de la Pomme" details the torments of hell.

Dances of death Various Mors de la Pomme Judgment