In the spring of 1534, Michelangelo received a commission from Clement VII to paint "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. He was also commissioned at this time to paint a "Fall of the Angels" on the entrance wall, but this second work was never executed. He had painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel some twenty eight years prior, but the style of his "The Last Judgment" would greatly differ from that of the ceiling.

Before Michelangelo could begin, there were many preparations to be made. A scaffold had to be built and the wall had to be prepared. Five paintings by Perugino and Michelangelo had to be removed. Two windows had to be walled up and Michelangelo "ordered it to be incli

In the space toward the bottom, directly below Christ, one can see mighty angels blowing their horns. There are seven angels, which Michelangelo found in Revelation 8, 2. They also have the two books, the Book of Life and the Book of Judgment. These books are often mentioned in the Old Testament as holding all the records of our actions and decide who will be allowed into heaven.

Sebastiano del Piombo had persuaded the pope that the painting would look best in oil, and the wall was therefore prepared to receive oil pigments. This delayed the beginning of the work, since Michelangelo declared oil-painting to be an "effeminate art" and insisted on painting "al fresco," as he had done with the ceiling. The wall had to be done over and Michelangelo never spoke to Sebastiano, who had once been a student of Michelangelo. (Brandes 389)

Unfortunately, Michelangelo's masterpiece only remained intact for fourteen years, at which point artists were commissioned to paint clothes on the "most beautiful nudes." (Brandes 392-394)

Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment" is a splendid masterpiece of the High Renaissance. It stresses the importance of the human body and the ways in which the body can move. The emotional content is also very characteristic of this time. The torment and horror is also quite indicative of the hardships which Michelangelo felt during this time in his life. He had grown rather bitter toward all men, which can quite easily be inferred from the lack of joy in "The Last Judgment." (Brandes 394)

The central figure of "The Last Judgment" is of course, Christ. However, the Christ which appears in Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment," is not the typical loving, and sympathetic Christ depicted throughout the Renaissance. The fresco is dominated by Christ "as the medieval judge of the world--a giant whose might right arm is lifted in a gesture of damnation so broad and universal as to suggest he will destroy all creation, Heaven and earth alike." (Croix, Tansey, and Kirkpatrick 665) Michelangelo followed the tradition of others in having Christ at the top, with his hand raised, brighter than the rest of the angels and demons. Christ seems to have a harsh and cold expression which furthers Michelangelo's depiction of Christ as the Judge.

On the left, the saved souls rise from their graves and assume the flesh. They then begin their ascent toward Heaven. One may expect there to be as much joy on the left as ther

Some common words found in the essay are:
Judgment Brandes, Michelangelo's Judgment, Perugino Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, Judgment Michelangelo, St Sebastian, Medici Brandes, Book Judgment, Judge Judgment, Lord Charon's, altar wall, sistine chapel, ceiling sistine chapel, brandes 385, wall prepared, heaven st, judgment fresco, ceiling sistine, michelangelo's judgment, croix tansey kirkpatrick, judgment brandes, below christ,
Approximate Word count = 1642
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)