Andrea MantegnaItalian, 1431–1506Descent into Limbo
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Descent into Limbo” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
In this deeply engraved, drawinglike print, Christ strides over the demolished gates of hell, carrying a victory standard. On the right, Adam and Eve are seen with their righteous son Abel, while Cain has been left in hell for murdering his brother. The demons that represent the torments of hell herald Christ’s arrival. These devils, with their scales and reptilian tails, resemble dragons, and have elflike ears. They seem to be flying, one of them distractedly doing acrobatic tricks instead of blowing his horn.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1956.1022
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
In the life of Andrea Mantegna
The whole life1460–1506
Post: court painter
after 1474
His own house near the church of San Sebastiano
In Mantua Mantegna built a stately house near the church of San Sebastiano and adorned it with a multitude of paintings; the house can still be seen today, although the paintings no longer survive.
1474–1484
An unhappy decade in Mantua
The next ten years were not happy ones for Mantegna and Mantua: the artist grew irritable, his son died, as did Marquis Ludovico, his wife Barbara and his successor Federico, who had dubbed Mantegna a knight; artistic commissions in Mantua recommenced only with the election of Francesco II Gonzaga.
