Underworld Collection

Last Judgement, Novgorod Icon (tempera on wood)
3469089 Last Judgement, Novgorod Icon (tempera on wood) by Russian School (15th century); 162x115 cm; Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Elysium, 1906. Artist: Leon Bakst
Elysium, 1906. Found in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Religion / Egypt / Nephthys
A funerary deity, she mourns the Pharaoh when he dies, and escorts him into the Underworld

Charon / Styx / Dante / Virgil
Charon ferries Dante and Virgil across the Styx, the river which separates this world of ours from the infernal regions

Dante / Virgil Cross Styx
Charon, the ferryman of the Styx, carries Dante and Virgil to the Underworld

Judgement Day / Osiris
Judgement of the dead before Osiris in the Underworld

Homeric cosmogony. Map of the Earth based on the myths and knowledge of the Ancient Greeks at the time of Homer (1st or 2nd millennium BC)

Book of the Dead
Detail from the Book of the Dead of Cesmedhed khonsu, Amons (Amun) musician. Properly called the " Spells of Coming (or Going)

Weighing of the Heart
Ani, recently dead, is judged in the Underworld where his heart is weighed

Goddess of Underworld
Hel, daughter of Loki & goddess of the underworld

Dantes Inferno, suicides and the Harpies
Dantes Inferno. Canto XIII, line 11: Here [suicide tree] the brute Harpies make their nest (at right: Dante and Virgil). Italian poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

The Isle of the Dead, 1886 (oil on panel)
JHG176726 The Isle of the Dead, 1886 (oil on panel) by Bocklin, Arnold (1827-1901); 80x154 cm; Museum der Bildenden Kunste, Leipzig, Germany; Swiss, out of copyright

Religion / Egypt / Sobek
The crocodile-headed god who symbolises the might of the pharaohs : the strength and swiftness of the crocodile are appropriate to the ruler of the country

Dante and Virgil with three-headed monster, 1951. Creator: Shirley Markham
Dante and Virgil with three-headed monster, 1951. Design for illustration to Dantes " Divine Comedy". Shirley Markham (1931-1999)

Cerberus & Herakles
The last Labour of Herakles is to descend to the Underworld and capture the three-headed dog Cerberus; he does this, but returns the dog to Hades who needs him as a watchdog

Recovery of the British Fuseliers at Albuera, 16 May 1811. Beresford defeated Soult. Engraving
536560 Recovery of the British Fuseliers at Albuera, 16 May 1811. Beresford defeated Soult. Engraving.; (add.info.: Recovery of the British Fuseliers at Albuera, 16 May 1811)

Pluto, sculpture by Domenico Poggini (1520-90) 1572 (bronze)
BEN82533 Pluto, sculpture by Domenico Poggini (1520-90) 1572 (bronze); Palazzo Vecchio (Palazzo della Signoria) Florence, Italy; Photo © Raffaello Bencini.

A winged Mercury
5308084 A winged Mercury.; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a winged Mercury. Mercury, patron god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence (and thus poetry)

Jonathan Wild
3119273 Jonathan Wild; (add.info.: Portrait of Jonathan Wild (1683-1725) a London underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law

Hades, showing Charon the ferryman, Cerberus, three-headed dog guarding entrance
536432 Hades, showing Charon the ferryman, Cerberus, three-headed dog guarding entrance, Pluto and Proserpine/Persephone (center left) and River Lethe

Heracles taming Cerberus, 16th century (marble)
JFS138554 Heracles taming Cerberus, 16th century (marble); Villa Loredan, Veneto, Italy; © John Ferro Sims.

Hell: the city of Dis, Roman god of the underworld, Dante's Ingerno, 1863 (engraving)
536407 Hell: the city of Dis, Roman god of the underworld, Dante's Ingerno, 1863 (engraving); (add.info.: Hell: the city of Dis, Roman god of the underworld)

Charon the ferryman rowing to collect Dante and his guide, Virgil, to carry them across the Styx, 1861 (engraving)
536563 Charon the ferryman rowing to collect Dante and his guide, Virgil, to carry them across the Styx, 1861 (engraving); (add.info.: Charon the ferryman rowing to collect Dante and his guide)

Christ descends into the underworld (limbo). From the Great Passion (Passio domini nostri Jesu),1511 Creator: Dürer
Christ descends into the underworld (limbo). From the Great Passion (Passio domini nostri Jesu), 1511. Found in the Collection of the Sachsische Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitatsbibliothek

Orpheus, 1893 (oil on canvas)
XIR18924 Orpheus, 1893 (oil on canvas) by Delville, Jean (1867-1953); 79x99 cm; Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium; (add.info.: by Jean Delville).

Mercury and Proserpina, 1623-1648. Creator: Willem de Poorter
Mercury and Proserpina, 1623-1648

The Last Judgment, 1553-1554. Creator: Pieter Huys
The Last Judgment, 1553-1554. In this vision of the end of time, Christ, surrounded by angels and the apostles, sits in the heavens as judge

Robbers, 1892. Creator: Koller, Rudolf (1828-1905)
Robbers, 1892. Private Collection

Pluto Carrying Proserpina Past the Nymph Cyane, published 1606. Creators: Antonio Tempesta, Wilhelm Janson
Pluto Carrying Proserpina Past the Nymph Cyane, published 1606. From The Metamorphoses of Ovid, pl. 47

Warriors Fighting: A Battle of Demons of the Lower World (image 2 of 2), 18th-19th century. Creator: Katsukawa Shuntei
Warriors Fighting: A Battle of Demons of the Lower World (image 2 of 2), 18th-19th century

Venus with Psyche pointing to the underworld, between 1520 and 1535. Creator: Master of the Die
Venus with Psyche pointing to the underworld, between 1520 and 1535. From The Fable of Cupid and Psyche

Psyche Obtaining the Elixir of Beauty from Proserpine, c1735. Creator: Charles-Joseph Natoire
Psyche Obtaining the Elixir of Beauty from Proserpine, c1735

Charon's Bark with Souls Crossing the Styx, plate two from Darstellungen aus Dante's... 1808-09
Charon's Bark with Souls Crossing the Styx, plate two from Darstellungen aus Dante's Holle, 1808-09

Christ's descent Christ into limbo, c.1655. Creator: Alonso Cano
Christ's descent Christ into limbo, c.1655

Hercules Gets Cerberus from the Underworld (Charon, the Ferryman of the Styx), 1645-1650. Creator: Jacob van Campen
Hercules Gets Cerberus from the Underworld (Charon, the Ferryman of the Styx), 1645-1650

Pluto and Cerberus, c.1555. Creator: Maerten van Heemskerck
Pluto and Cerberus, c.1555

Aeneas descends into the underworld. Creator: Philip Tideman
Aeneas descends into the underworld

Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld, 1809. Creator: Bartolomeo Pinelli
Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld, 1809

Dante and Vergil in the Underworld;Study after a painting by Delacroix, 1894-1932. Creator: Edvard Weie
Dante and Vergil in the Underworld;Study after a painting by Delacroix, 1894-1932

Finding of a gang of thieves in an abandoned chapel, 1854. Creator: Wille, August von (1829-1887)
Finding of a gang of thieves in an abandoned chapel, 1854. Private Collection

Aeneas in the Underworld, 1780/1820. Creator: Unknown
Aeneas in the Underworld, 1780/1820

Pluto Bringing Proserpine to the Gates of Hell. Creator: Carlo Maratti
Pluto Bringing Proserpine to the Gates of Hell

Revolutionary satirical allegory: the triumph of Marat in the underworld, c1790 — 1800. Creator: Nicolas Antoine Taunay
Revolutionary satirical allegory: the triumph of Marat in the underworld, c1790 -- 1800

Underworld Scene with a Man and Woman Enthroned and Death Standing Guard. Creator: Robert Caney
Underworld Scene with a Man and Woman Enthroned and Death Standing Guard

The Labors of Hercules: Bringing Cerberus from the Lower World, c. 1528. Creator: Gabriel Salmon
The Labors of Hercules: Bringing Cerberus from the Lower World, c. 1528

The Fall of Lucifer and the Rebel Angels (verso); The Gathering of the Angels (recto)... 1491
The Fall of Lucifer and the Rebel Angels (verso); The Gathering of the Angels (recto), pages three and two from the Treasury (Schatzbehalter), 1491

Rat hole walk ...
Sofie Steenhoudt

Orpheus and Euridice (w / c on paper)
WAG451503 Orpheus and Euridice (w/c on paper) by Sparkes, Catharine Adelaide (1842-91); 84x74 cm; Wolverhampton Art Gallery, West Midlands, UK; eWolverhampton Art Gallery; English, out of copyright

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"Journey into the Underworld: Exploring Mythology, Religion, and Art" Step into a realm shrouded in mystery and intrigue as we embark on a captivating journey through the underworld. From ancient civilizations to renowned literary works, this caption delves deep into the enigmatic realms of the afterlife. In Novgorod Icon's Last Judgement, painted with delicate tempera on wood, we witness souls being weighed against their deeds. This depiction echoes beliefs found in Egyptian mythology where Nephthys played a crucial role in guiding souls to Elysium. Leon Bakst's masterpiece "Elysium" transports us to an ethereal paradise where blissful souls reside. Inspired by Homeric cosmogony and Dante's Inferno, it captures the essence of heavenly serenity amidst vibrant hues. Charon ferries spirits across Styx in Dante's epic poem guided by Virgil. As they navigate through treacherous waters towards Judgement Day presided over by Osiris, one cannot help but ponder upon life's moral complexities. The Book of the Dead unravels ancient Egyptian rituals surrounding death and rebirth. The Weighing of the Heart ceremony determines one's fate while offering glimpses into their eternal destiny. Dante and Virgil cross Styx accompanied by Shirley Markham’s three-headed monster guarding Hell’s entrance. In Dantes Inferno, suicides face torment from Harpies - symbolic representations of their self-inflicted suffering. Unveiling secrets held within these artistic masterpieces allows us to explore various interpretations of the underworld across cultures and eras. It reminds us that even beyond mortal existence lies a vast tapestry woven with tales of divine justice and damnation. As we delve deeper into this captivating subject matter, let our imaginations soar alongside these mythical figures who have traversed between worlds – be it guided by religious beliefs or immortalized within timeless works of art.