Lena Rivera
Michelangelo's fresco The Last Judgment is a Renaissance masterpiece that covers the entire 45 x 39-foot altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Completed between 1536 and 1541, the painting depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgment of all humanity. With over 300 figures, the work is a powerful and imaginative interpretation of Christian scripture, blending religious and mythological elements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Michelangelo |
| Title | The Last Judgment |
| Type | Fresco |
| Subject | The Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity |
| Location | Sistine Chapel, Vatican City |
| Dimensions | 45 x 39 feet (13.7 x 12 m) |
| Number of figures | Over 300 |
| Notable figures | Charon, Minos, Christ, St. John Baptist, St. Peter, St. Andrew, St. Lawrence, St. Sebastian, St. Bartholomew, St. Catherine of Alexandria, the Virgin |
| Composition | Figures are grouped and organised into tiers and quadrants, with subgroups and meaningful pairings |
| Colours | Monochromatic, flesh tones, sky blue, orange, green, yellow |
| Nudity | Yes, partially covered with drapery after the original painting |
| Year | 1536-1541 |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's size and location
Michelangelo's The Last Judgment is a fresco located in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Rome. It covers the whole altar wall, measuring 45 by 39 feet (approximately 13.7 by 12 metres).
The Last Judgment is the second-largest fresco by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, after the frescoes on the ceiling illustrating episodes from the Book of Genesis. It is located on the east end, behind the altar, which was an unusual choice as traditionally, such frescoes were placed on the west wall, over the main doors at the back of a church.
Michelangelo's fresco covers the wall to its edges, with over 300 figures in an infinite variety of dynamic poses. The painting is not bound by a painted border, giving it an all-encompassing effect that expands beyond the viewer's field of vision. The figures are organised into tiers and quadrants, with subgroups and meaningful pairings that facilitate the fresco's legibility.
The preparation of the altar wall for the fresco began in 1535, and the painting was completed in 1541. The creation of the fresco required the destruction of Perugino's frescoes, which previously adorned the altar wall. Michelangelo worked alone on the project, with the exception of minor assistance for the manual preparation of colours.
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The number of figures
Michelangelo's fresco The Last Judgment contains over 300 figures in total. The painting is not bound by a painted border, and the figures fill the wall to its edges. The composition is divided into tiers and quadrants, with subgroups and meaningful pairings that facilitate the fresco's legibility.
The figures in the painting are a mix of angels, saints, and the dead being judged. The angels are shown blowing trumpets, holding books that record the names of the saved and damned, and pushing and punching the damned down towards Charon the boatman, who ferries them to hell. The saints are shown holding the instruments of their martyrdom, such as St. Andrew with the X-shaped cross, St. Lawrence with the gridiron, and St. Sebastian with a bundle of arrows.
The dead are shown rising and descending to their fates, as judged by Christ. The saved ascend to the left, and the damned descend to the right. One notable figure in this group is a damned soul who appears too horrified to resist his fate, covering one eye with his hand as demons and devils from the underworld drag him down.
Michelangelo included self-portraits in the fresco, as well as references to Dante's Inferno and the Apollo Belvedere. The inclusion of so many nude figures was controversial at the time, and some of the nudity was later covered up by Michelangelo's pupil Daniele da Volterra, who added drapery and repainted some of the figures.
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The figures' nudity
The Last Judgment by Michelangelo features over 300 figures, with nearly all the males and angels originally shown as nudes. The painting was commissioned for the Sistine Chapel by Pope Clement VII and completed under Pope Paul III. It was unveiled in 1541, and controversy erupted over its unclothed figures. The work was deemed insensitive to proper decorum, and critics argued that the prominent location of the fresco made the amount of nudity unacceptable.
Michelangelo was accused of pursuing artistic effect over following the scriptural description of the event. The painting depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity. The dead rise and descend to their fates, as judged by Christ, who is surrounded by prominent saints. The inclusion of so many nude figures in such a sacred place was seen as shameful and inappropriate for a papal chapel.
Biagio da Cesena, the papal master of ceremonies under Paul III, denounced the painting, stating that it was disgraceful to have so many nude figures in such an honorable place. As a result of these criticisms, much of the nudity was later covered up by Michelangelo's pupil, Daniele da Volterra, who earned the nickname "Il Braghettone" or "The Trouser Maker."
The painting's muscular style and complex poses were also controversial, with some deeming it excessive. However, others praised the work as a masterpiece, worthy of both the subject matter and the location. The sheer physicality of these muscular nudes affirmed the Catholic doctrine of bodily resurrection. Despite the initial controversy, The Last Judgment is now regarded as one of Michelangelo's greatest masterpieces.
The restoration of the fresco in the 1990s revealed a greater chromatic range than previously apparent, with orange, green, yellow, and blue scattered throughout the scene. This restoration also brought attention to the extent of the changes made to the painting over time, particularly regarding the covering up of nude figures. Marcello Venusti's copy, painted in 1549, is now our only guide to what Michelangelo's work looked like before it was censored.
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The painting's composition
The Last Judgment by Michelangelo is a fresco that covers the entire altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It is considered one of Michelangelo's greatest masterpieces and is his second-largest fresco, measuring 45 by 39 feet (13.7 by 12 metres). The painting depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgment of all humanity by God. With over 300 figures, the composition is complex yet organised, with tiers, quadrants, subgroups, and meaningful pairings that facilitate the fresco's legibility.
The painting is dominated by the figure of Christ, who is surrounded by prominent saints and angels. The composition reflects the traditional Western depiction of the Last Judgment, with a division between the heavenly realm above and the earthly zone below. In the upper part of the fresco, the inhabitants of Heaven are joined by the newly saved, while in the lower part, the saved ascend to the left and the damned descend to the right. The central figure of Christ is flanked by St. John the Baptist and St. Peter, who share his massive proportions. Some saints are shown holding the instruments of their martyrdom, such as St. Andrew with the X-shaped cross and St. Sebastian with a bundle of arrows.
Michelangelo's composition also includes innovative elements that reflect his own imaginative interpretation of the subject matter. He mixes figures from pagan mythology with Christian figures, such as Charon, the mythical boatman from Greek and Roman mythology who ferries the damned to hell, and Minos, one of the judges of the underworld. The inclusion of these figures may have been inspired by Dante's Inferno, a text Michelangelo admired. The traditional composition of Christ in Majesty is also adapted, with Christ given youthful features reminiscent of the Apollo Belvedere sculpture, reflecting his identity as the "Sun of Righteousness."
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The painting's subject matter
The Last Judgment is a monumental fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo, which adorns the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Completed in 1541, it depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity. The painting is a depiction of the end of days, with Christ's soul-separating judgment sending the virtuous to Heaven and the damned to Hell. At the centre of the fresco, Christ, with powerful and dynamic movement, is shown raising his arm to condemn the damned and to save the blessed. He is surrounded by a mass of figures, with the blessed rising to Heaven on his right, and the damned falling to Hell on his left. The blessed are led by Saint Peter, who ushers them into Heaven, while demons drag the damned down to Hell, where they are tortured by monsters. Above Christ are the Apostles, saints, and angels, bearing the symbols of the Passion, with the Virgin Mary at Christ's side, pleading for the salvation of humanity.
The painting is a powerful and emotional depiction of a subject that was common in medieval and Renaissance art. Michelangelo's treatment of the subject matter is unique, with a dynamic and energetic composition that is full of movement and emotion. The figures are muscular and active, with dramatic gestures and expressions that convey the terror and drama of the scene. The artist has used a variety of colours, but the overall tone is sombre and dark, reflecting the serious and ominous nature of the subject. The figures are also painted with a sense of depth and volume, characteristic of Michelangelo's style, and the whole scene is unified by the use of chiaroscuro, creating a sense of dramatic lighting.
The Last Judgment caused controversy at the time due to its nudity and what was considered a break with traditional depictions of the subject. Michelangelo's fresco was criticised for its departure from the usual calm and ordered depictions of the final judgment, and its emotional and energetic style was not universally appreciated. The artist was also accused of using inappropriate figures, with the naked bodies and their active poses seen as a break with decorum. However, despite the criticism, The Last Judgment is considered one of Michelangelo's masterpieces and a key work of Renaissance art.
The subject matter of The Last Judgment is a complex and multi-layered depiction of a Christian eschatological theme. The painting is a visual interpretation of the biblical concept of the end times, with Michelangelo drawing on a variety of sources to create a powerful and imaginative vision of this apocalyptic event. The artist has combined elements from the Book of Revelation, the Gospel of Matthew, and the Vulgate to create a composite scene that conveys the terror and drama of the Last Judgment. The figures in the fresco are a mix of the specific and the generic, with identifiable saints and apostles alongside anonymous figures representing the wider humanity awaiting judgment.
The Last Judgment can also be seen as a reflection of the religious and political concerns of 16th-century Europe. The Reformation and the Catholic Church's response, the Counter-Reformation, had created a climate of religious anxiety and a focus on issues of salvation and damnation. Michelangelo's fresco can be interpreted as a visual argument for the Catholic doctrine of salvation through faith and works, with the painting's complex iconography conveying a wealth of theological detail. Thus, the painting's subject matter is not only a dramatic and emotional depiction of an apocalyptic event but also a sophisticated and nuanced reflection of the religious concerns of its time.
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Frequently asked questions
The Last Judgment covers the entire 45 x 39-foot (13.7 x 12 m) altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
The painting took over four years to complete between 1536 and 1541.
The painting depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity.
There are over 300 figures, with nearly all the males and angels originally shown as nudes.
The painting covers the wall behind the altar, at the east end. Traditionally, a Last Judgment fresco would be placed on the west wall, over the main doors at the back of a church.
