The afterlife not only fascinates believers and theologians. Poets and artists have also been grappling with it in a multifaceted way for centuries. Especially for artists, this was not an easy matter, because: No one knew their actual subject matter.

The afterlife was considered by humans in this world as invisible and also incomprehensible. This threw the ball into a not quite uncomplicated corner for the painters and demanded inventiveness.

The paintings also played an important role both in salvation history and the believers' hope for redemption, and furthermore in visualizing the worldview. Selected paintings from the 16th century impressively showcase the culture of faith and artistic exploration of the cosmos in a cabinet exhibition.