Visioen van de rijke man in de hel - Dirck Volckertsz. Coornhert

A 16th-century Dutch engraving depicting the biblical parable of the rich man in hell, after a design by Maarten van Heemskerck.

This engraving, executed by Dirck Volckertsz. Coornhert after a design by Maarten van Heemskerck, depicts the biblical parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The composition is divided into two distinct realms. In the upper portion, a celestial figure sits amidst clouds, observing the scene below. The lower portion is dominated by the torments of the underworld, where the rich man is subjected to the cruelty of demonic figures.

The print demonstrates the technical precision characteristic of 16th-century Dutch engraving. The musculature of the figures is rendered with anatomical accuracy, reflecting the influence of Italian Mannerism on Northern European artists of the period. The flames and the gaping maw of the beast on the right provide a sense of chaotic movement, contrasting with the relative stillness of the divine figure above. The artist employs varied line weights to create volume and texture, from the soft, rounded forms of the clouds to the sharp, aggressive contours of the demons.

Coornhert, who was also a writer and philosopher, often engaged with moral and theological themes in his work. This print functions as a visual sermon, warning against the perils of greed and the neglect of the poor. The inclusion of the artist's signature and the date on the vessel in the foreground confirms its provenance within the prolific collaboration between Coornhert and Van Heemskerck. The work remains a fine example of the didactic nature of Northern Renaissance printmaking, where complex theological narratives were translated into accessible, highly detailed visual media for a wider audience.