The levels of hell depicted as circular stone tiers; purgatory lies outside its walls. Engraving.

Reference:
25063i
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Description

On the tiers over which the monster presides are a labelled hierarchy of sins and sinners: The topmost is marked 'Idolatræ' and shows broken statues, including a severed female head and Hercules with no feet, clutching a staff. The second level is marked 'Judaei ob...' and shows Jews, some praying, some reading the Bible blindfolded. The third is marked 'Haere' showing heretics reading books. The lowermost tier has two partitions that we can see, labelled 'Gula' (gluttony) and 'Invidia' (Envy). The former shows scenes of devils force-feeding women and one woman being sick. The latter shows devils beating and whipping naked men. On the other side of the grand wall of hell, the occupants of purgatory are divided between those being lifted out by angels, and those succumbing to the flames. To the right of this cavity, a man (marked 'oratio'), kneels behind a pope (marked 'indulgentia') who holds a glass before an altar marked 'sacrificium'. A scene nearby shows a confession, marked 'eleemosyna'

Physical description

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 32.3 x 45 cm

Lettering

Purgatorium. Invidia. Ne comedas cum homine invido, et ne desideres cibos eius, quoniam in similitudine arioli, et coniectoris estimat quod ignorat; comede et bibe dicet tibi et mens eius no est tecum. Pro. 23 ... Lettering continues: "Nam paruulū occidit invidia. Iob. 5. Et qui sibi invidet nihil est illo nequius, et haec redditio est malitiae illius. Eccl. 14. Gula. Vaeh vobis qui saturati estis quia esurietis: attendite ne forte graventur corda vestra crapula, et ebrietate, et curis huius vitae. Luc. 6. et 22. Non in commessationibus, et ebrietatibus, non in cubilibus, et impudicitÿs, non in contentionibus et aemulatione. ad Roman. 13"

Reference

Wellcome Collection 25063i

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