Herri met de Bles (c. 1510-after 1550) – Hell Kunsthistorisches Museum

The circular composition presents a chaotic and intensely disturbing scene dominated by fire and suffering. A pervasive orange-red hue saturates the entire canvas, creating an atmosphere of oppressive heat and inescapable torment. The artist has constructed a densely populated landscape, seemingly a distorted amalgamation of medieval architecture, siege weaponry, and grotesque figures engaged in acts of violence and despair.
Here we see a complex layering of activity. In the foreground, individuals are subjected to various forms of punishment – impalement on spikes, being crushed by machinery resembling mills or presses, and suffering under the weight of enormous objects. The artist meticulously details their expressions of agony, emphasizing the physical torment inflicted upon them. A prominent siege engine, a trebuchet-like device, dominates the lower right quadrant, its mechanism seemingly designed to inflict further pain and destruction.
Moving towards the center, a boat filled with figures appears suspended over a churning mass of bodies. A man in armor sits within this vessel, wielding a sword; his posture suggests both dominance and detachment from the surrounding chaos. This element introduces an ambiguous narrative – is he a tormentor or a reluctant participant? The placement of the boat above the suffering below could signify a fleeting reprieve or a further layer of judgment.
The background depicts what appears to be a burning city, with towers and buildings engulfed in flames that rise towards a swirling vortex of fire at the apex of the circle. This reinforces the sense of utter devastation and irreversible loss. The architectural elements are rendered with a degree of detail, yet their familiarity is undermined by the overall surreal and nightmarish quality of the scene.
Subtexts within this work suggest a critique of human cruelty and the consequences of sin. The inclusion of siege weaponry implies warfare and conflict as instruments of divine retribution or perhaps a commentary on earthly power structures. The meticulous depiction of suffering, devoid of any overt moralizing narrative, invites contemplation about the nature of evil and the fragility of existence. The circular format itself contributes to the sense of entrapment and cyclical repetition – an eternal cycle of torment. The artist’s choice to depict such graphic imagery within a confined space amplifies the feeling of claustrophobia and inescapable doom.