The Last Judgment, from The Passion of Christ, plate 32

Art Historical Context

Grégoire Huret's *The Last Judgment*, plate 32 from his series *The Passion of* (1664), captures one of Christianity's most dramatic eschatological scenes. Created during the height of the Baroque era in France, this engraving depicts Christ in glory amid the resurrection of the dead, the saved ascending to heaven, and the damned descending to perdition—hallmarks of Counter-Reformation art emphasizing divine judgment and redemption. Huret, a Parisian engraver and painter active in the mid-17th century, drew from traditional iconography, blending intricate detail with theatrical energy to evoke awe and moral reflection. As an engraving on a generous sheet (20 1/16 × 14 inches), the work showcases the medium's power for mass dissemination. Engravings like this allowed intricate religious imagery to reach beyond elite patrons, adorning homes, churches, and books across Europe. Huret's precise linework and tonal contrasts heighten the chaos of swirling figures around the radiant Cross, a central motif symbolizing Christ's triumph. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this print exemplifies 17th-century printmaking's role in visual piety, inviting viewers to contemplate eternity amid the era's religious fervor.

About the Artist

Grégoire Huret · 1606–1670

French draftsman and printmaker. Comment on works: Engraver & draftsman