The Last Judgment

When Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel was unveiled in 1541, it elicited great wonder, as well as a thriving business in copies and a heated debate concerning the figures’ nudity. In 1564 the controversy was quenched when strategically placed draperies were painted to cover the most provocative parts. This panel is based on the Sistine model after its censorship. Although a number of figure groups have been eliminated, the overall composition remains largely the same. In particular, it emphasizes the figure of Christ as the supreme judge by isolating him and distancing him from the surrounding choirs of heaven.