The Last Judgement was a popular theme in the fifteenth century in the Netherlands. It is seen at its most spectacular in Rogier van der Weyden (Beaune, Hospice) and Memling (Gdansk, Muzeum Pomorowski). By the sixteenth century, the theme had become much more matter of fact, as it was stock in trade of such artists as Michael Coxcie (q.v.) and Frans Floris (q.v.). Backer made a small number of memorable treatments of the subject which were repeated on numerous occasions and in different formats, usually by later followers. The renown and popularity of Backer’s personal interpretation of the subject is seen by the fact that an upright version appears in the background of Vermeer of Delft’s Allegory of the weighing of the Souls (Washington, National Gallery). In the composition here, the artist has made many quotations from standard mannerist poses, and many of the nudes are derived from Michelangelo through the medium of engravings. The iconography is especially complex. The dead rise from their graves in the main foreground; on the left they are raised up to Heaven while on the right they are cast down by devils. The upper part of the painting is occupied by the Court of Heaven, with Christ in Judgement in the centre. Prominent on the right is Moses with the Tablets of the Law, and on the left of Christ is the Cross and an Angel holding a book and a lily, the symbol of purity.  Further left is the Virgin surrounded by Apostles and Angels. The subject was treated similarly by Crispiaen van den Broeck (q.v.)

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