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In the lower right corner of the altar wall, Charonthe ferryman from Greek mythology who transports souls to the underworldswings his oar as he drives the damned onto hells shores (image above). As we look at the famous Sistine fresco, we are met with a whole wall space occupied by figures in dynamic poses and expressions. Michelangelo began painting it 25 years after he had completed the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and was almost 67 once it was finished. This painting went on to become a model for students to practice their artistic skills and study the nude figure, but this was also cautioned against by other artists and critics who advised people to be aware of not depicting the female figure like that of the male figure. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The Sack was also believed to have ended the Renaissance period. Some of the positive praises were from one of the agents of Cardinal Gonzaga of Mantua, who stated, The work is of such beauty that your excellency can imagine that there is no lack of those who condemn it[T]o my mind it is a work unlike any other to be seen anywhere. The nature of fresco work meant that each day would be devoted to a specific artwork, which needed to be finished before the plaster of that section of the wall would dry. Around 1300 the interior of the church was entirely redecorated. Anyone visiting the chapel would come face-to-face with the painting, unable to avoid the prophetic narrative of Christs Second Coming and the idea of Hell and torture seen in the hundreds of human bodies depicted on the wall. Clothing and physical features would be faithful to what might imagine in real life, with much of that on display within The Last Judgement. Additionally, it is the archangels of Michael and Raphael who can be seen holding the cross just below Christ himself. The apse paintings at San Giorgio al Velabro, Rome, have been attributed to him on the basis of stylistic similarity to the Trastevere paintings. He would design and sketch out the individual frescoes, with skilled painters then delivering them one day a time. A late 19th-century photograph of Michelangelos The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel;Hallwyl Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Some rise up effortlessly, drawn by an invisible force, while others are assisted by herculean angels, one of whom lifts a pair of souls that cling to a strand of rosary beads. It is a visual reminder for all who visited the Chapel of their fate and standing in the Catholic religion. Pope Clement VII (1523 to 1534) commissioned The Last Judgment painting; however, after his death, it was taken over by Pope Paul III (1534 to 1549). Left: Apollo Belvedere (Roman copy of a Greek(?) It sparked a lot of critique and praise when it was unveiled in 1541. In many cases the artists would have been instructed as to a suitable theme by the donor, with little input themselves. The Last Judgement (Giudizio Universale) featured particularly frequently within the art world of the 14th to 16th century, mainly across Northern Europe and Italy. De Cesena complained about this to the Pope, but the Pope supposedly said that his authority does not extend into Hell. It is clear from the title of the painting and the sheer scale of visuals that fill up the entire wall that the primary theme is that of justice, judgment, and really the power of Heaven over Hell, the power of good over evil. The bottom third of the landscape depicts a green mountainous region with a river winding between it in the middle, which flows towards the right-hand side where we notice the fiery opening of Hell.