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Beaune Last Judgment Altarpiece

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description Beaune Last Judgment Altarpiece Overview

The Beaune Last Judgment Altarpiece is a large polyptych painted by Rogier van der Weyden around 1445 to 1450 for the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, Burgundy. Commissioned by the hospital's founder, Nicolas Rolin, and his wife, Guigone de Salins, it depicts Christ judging humanity as Saint Michael weighs resurrected souls. The hinged work was designed for a charitable institution caring for the sick, where its imagery addressed death, judgment, and salvation.

help Beaune Last Judgment Altarpiece FAQ

Why was the Last Judgment altarpiece commissioned for a hospital?

Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins commissioned it for the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, a charitable hospital they founded. Its vision of judgment, salvation, and damnation addressed patients confronting illness and death.

What does the archangel Michael do in the Beaune altarpiece?

Saint Michael stands below Christ and weighs resurrected souls on a balance. The blessed move toward Paradise, while the damned are driven toward Hell.

What could viewers see when the Beaune polyptych was closed?

The exterior includes the Annunciation, saints, and portraits of donors Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins. Opening the wings reveals Rogier van der Weyden's much larger and more vivid Last Judgment.

Is the Beaune Last Judgment still at the Hôtel-Dieu?

Yes, it remains part of the historic Hôtel-Dieu complex in Beaune, now commonly visited as the Hospices de Beaune museum. It is displayed under controlled conditions to protect its painted panels.

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