Doden staan op voor het laatste oordeel - R.J. van Maldeghem

A 1850 lithograph from the periodical Cerilia, featuring a musical score for the Dies Irae alongside an illustration of the resurrection of the dead.

This lithograph, titled Doden staan op voor het laatste oordeel, originates from the fourth issue of the periodical Cerilia, published in April 1850. It presents a fusion of musical notation and visual narrative. The central portion of the print contains a musical score for a Sequentia, composed by R.J. van Maldeghem, featuring lyrics from the Dies Irae. The surrounding imagery depicts the resurrection of the dead, a common theme in nineteenth-century religious art.

To the left, an angel descends, sounding a trumpet to signal the awakening of the souls. Below the musical score, a larger scene illustrates figures emerging from the earth. The composition employs dramatic, expressive lines to convey the movement of the figures as they rise from their graves. The style reflects the mid-nineteenth-century interest in combining liturgical music with evocative, illustrative accompaniments. The print serves as a historical document of the Cerilia publication, which aimed to promote sacred music within the domestic sphere. The stark monochrome palette of the lithograph emphasises the gravity of the subject matter, focusing on the contrast between the ethereal nature of the angel and the physical struggle of the rising figures. This work provides insight into the intersection of musical culture and visual arts in Belgium during the mid-1800s.