Getty Museum
The Wall of Heaven Where the Bad but Not Very Bad Are in Temporary Discomfort
Creator
Simon MarmionFlemish Illuminator · 1450–1489
All works by this person →Not long after his death, Simon Marmion was praised by the poet Jean Lemaire de Belges as the "prince of illumination." This reputation probably owed much to the artist's proficiency in depicting nature and his skill as a storyteller. Marmion was especially gifted in the representation of light and the textures of objects, as well as the creation of engaging psychological content in the gestures a
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- 1475
- Medium
- Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink
- Culture
- Franco-Flemish
- Department
- Manuscripts
- Institution
- Getty Museum
- Object ID
- 19e2f6ac-0ca2-4da1-9cf5-1954a0a9f6b9
After visiting the depths of Hell, the angel leads Tondal's soul to Heaven, where he comes upon people standing in niches in a very high wall. Although they are exposed to the wind and rain, the souls are not tormented in any other way. These people, the angel explains, "did not commit great evil," but neither did they share their worldly goods generously with the poor. To set up a contrast with the dark, fiery images of Hell, a cool luminescence pervades the scenes of Heaven.
The authoritative record is held by Getty Museum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Get printable QR codesHide QR codes
Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Getty Museum and other institutions.