Why it matters
Covering the entire altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment shows the Second Coming of Christ and the fate of humanity, with over 300 figures. Michelangelo began it 25 years after finishing the ceiling and was nearly 67 when he completed it; its nudity and muscular figures drew both praise and fierce criticism from the start.
Did you know?
- It took more than four years, from 1536 to 1541.
- Many of the nudes were later partly covered with painted draperies.
- Recent restoration revealed a far richer range of colour than had been visible.
Based on the Wikipedia article The Last Judgment (Michelangelo) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
