American Art Collaborative

Howard Finster covered his paintings with written descriptions and Bible quotes to help people understand their meanings. He made VISION OF A GREAT GULF to teach people about hell, because “if a man believed in Hell he would try to avoid going there.” The painting includes terrifying warnings about the underworld, suggesting that if we ignore the artist’s messages, we might join the people falling helplessly into the chasm of monsters. Finster filled every available space with scribbled text and bright colors to create an overwhelming image of the confusion of hell.