The Last Judgement Michelangelo Analysis

Improved Essays
Michelangelo was an extraordinary artist who contributed enormous physical and educational pieces of art to the world. Arguably one of the most spectacular pieces of art in human history was his vaulting painting, The Last Judgement, available for viewing in the Sistine Chapel. The overall process of producing this painting and Michelangelo’s personal beliefs and life were both incredibly influential throughout these 20 months. As Adrienne DeAngelis outlined in her article describing the Sistine Chapel, the process for how Michelangelo was contracted for The Last Judgement and the ways in which he completed the work were a bit unusual (DeAngelis). He was hired as a means to discredit his name with the Pope as requested by Bramante. This plan …show more content…
Their performances were beneath Michelangelo’s expectations, so he sent them away and restarted to ensure the painting was solely completed by him. About one-third of the way through, the Pope tried to see the progress, but was not admitted for visitation which caused for Michelangelo to be sent back to Rome. Upon his return, the painting began to throw out certain spots of mold which discouraged him and caused for a friend, Giuiano da San Gallo, to meet with Michelangelo, tell him the error he made, and how to fix it. This lifted Michelangelo’s spirits and he completed The Last Judgement in 20 months. Once it was open to the public, Michelangelo wanted to retouch it “a secco,” but the scaffolding would have taken too long and too much labor to fix, so this touch-up never occurred. The final work was absolutely gorgeous and everyone then, and now, marveled at the masterpiece, though Michelangelo suffered great discomfort and pain from staring at the ceiling tirelessly for …show more content…
Throughout the video uploaded to YouTube by CP Weyant, the Lives of the Artists painting was described. Physically, the different levels of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel represented degrees of closeness to God. Each different level hosted different subjects who helped carry-out the story. The bottom level illustrated the ancestors of Christ (primarily descendants of Noah waiting for Christ’s arrival). The level above them intensified the spiritual elements and showcased prophets – people whom God talked through to mankind. Along the center spine of the ceiling, Michelangelo painted the story of Genesis involving the creation of the Cosmos (light/dark/life/etc.). Finally, in the middle of it all, was the creation of everything including God’s creation of Adam, the tale of Eve, the story of temptation/expulsion, etc. Everyone was entranced about the volume of material Michelangelo included in The Last Judgement along with how miraculous his forms, style, and perspective that Michelangelo had completed for the first time. The Last Judgement illustrated just how creative and brilliant Michelangelo was with frescoes and art in

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Analyzing Art Work by Different Artists from Different Periods Art is very important to people especially when it represents spirituality. It adds a strong connection between the artist and the viewers on something they both agree on. Art in the early Renaissance was mostly about spirituality, but as time passes by, artists paid less attention to spirituality, and they started adding other themes to art. I intend to show that The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, represents the scene of The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. Da Vinci has depicted the horror in the 12 disciples’ faces when Jesus announced that one of them would betray him.…

    • 1362 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The painting shows the last meal shared by Jesus with his disciples, before his capture and death. Leonardo chose to paint the moment when Jesus has said "one of you will betray me", so the painting have name The last supper. Leonardo tells the story of the surprise and upset that this caused to the twelve followers of Jesus. My favorite feeling in this painting, I think this painting has feel of the people in painting.…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling was created using the technique called fresco. As stated by Frank (2014), fresco is a technique in which pigments suspended in water are applied to a damp lime-plaster surface (p.127). He created this beautiful art piece on a plaster ceiling using a wash technique to apply it inside a chapel located in Rome, Italy. When using this type of painting technique the paint and plaster become one in itself to make the painting become the actual wall not just on the surface. This makes the mural being made last for many years to…

    • 98 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The Sistine Chapel ceiling is covered with beautiful artworks; many of them becoming iconic. The Creation of Adam has become a widely known masterpiece by Michelangelo. The image of the near-touching hands of God and Adam has been reproduced in countless imitations and admired by many. Many wonder the hidden meanings in the painting and it has been subject to controversy. The figures and shapes behind God appears to be in the shape of the human brain.…

    • 287 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Michelangelo was one of the leading figures of the Renaissance during the late 15th and the first half of the 16th century. He was primarily a sculptor, but he was very talented in paintings and poetry. His talents were so apparent, that he earned the attention and patronage of Lorenzo de Medici, the leader of the Florentine Republic. The background of Michelangelo’s early life would play a large role in his rise to becoming a famous Renaissance artist. A. Michelangelo a. Born to middle class family.…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In (1475 - 1564) Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor and architect. He was widely considered to be one of the top artists in the world of the Italian Renaissance. Michelangelo’s work demonstrated many things blend together with psychological insight, physical realism, and intensity the was never seen before. Michelangelo’s first sculptor was the Pietà, created in 1498 through 1499 in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.…

    • 194 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti, along with Leonardo da Vinci, is considered to be the foundation of the Renaissance Florentine art (“Michelangelo.org). He has such an amazing artistic ability and eye for detail. The detail he put in to the Sistine Chapel is incredible. It is a flawless remarkable work of art. He labored hard exhausting years into painting the chapel.…

    • 1696 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Though perhaps not meant as such, this work expresses Lutheran and reformist principles about man’s eternal relationship with God or about the necessity to try to establish one. The naturalistic depiction of both Adam and God makes the connection more comprehensible for believers although, this idea is just an interpretation. Creation of Adam was painted at a commission of Pope Julius II and is a fresco painting , which forms part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling; it demonstrates the Biblical creation narrative from the book of Genesis in which God breaths life into Adam, the first man that ever lived. The fresco is part of convoluted iconographic scheme and is the fourth in line in the series of panels illustrating episodes from Genesis. Michelangelo painted onto moist plaster by using a wash technique to add broad areas of colour, then as the surface dried out, he return to the same areas adding more liner methods and also combining shade as well as detail with a variety of brushes.…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Michelangelo used multiple art techniques, such as shading and contrast, to create an affect that looked as if the ceiling had three dimensional pillars and decorative pieces built into it. It is a common misunderstanding that the ceiling originally had these three dimensional pieces in it. However, Michelangelo’s ability to paint with such skill created realism in The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Realism, the idea of creating things to be true to their actual form, was shown throughout The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, for Michelangelo was able to paint objects to look three dimensional and…

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    There was an immediate problem that the nude figures were inappropriate for so holy a place, and a letter called for the destruction of the Renaissance's largest fresco. The painter struck back by inserting into the work new portrayals of his chief critic as a devil and himself as the St. Bartholomew. Though Michelangelo's brilliant mind and talents earned him the spot of the wealthy and powerful men of Italy, he had his share of negatives. He had a contentious personality and quick temper, which led to bad relationships, between his superiors. This not only got Michelangelo into trouble, it created dissatisfaction for the painter, who constantly looked for perfection but was unable to…

    • 1507 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Sistine Chapel was a chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo really did not want to paint the ceiling of The Sistine Chapel, but he could not refuse the Pope. Eventually he decided to paint the ceiling of The Sistine Chapel (Richmond 24). For the past 36 years a team of dedicated experts have been cleaning and polishing the Sistine Chapel (Richmond 28).…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The artists confronted dilemma’s along the lengthy journey but were able to strive to the finish line(Seymour, Charles,1972). Although Michelangelo was a significant contributor in the project, it wasn’t until…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    That is my first reason why he is the greatest artist of the renaissance. My second and last reason on why i believe he is the most significant renaissance artist is from web it also stated, “ His works include the “David” and “Pieta” statues and the ceiling paintings of the Rome sistine chapel, including the “Last Judgement.” Through all his paintings and sculptures was how he gave to his community and showed humanism . That was another reason why i think he was a significant artist.…

    • 228 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, architect, and poet and changed the way people think of anatomy. Some of his famous works include the Pieta and David sculptures and the Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings. He has been called the “greatest artist of his age” and the “genius of the Renaissance.” Before the Renaissance, paintings and sculpture were considered shallow and unstylistic. Paintings and sculpture were unimportant to individuals before Michelangelo.…

    • 2189 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “The Last Judgement”, Michelangelo, had pretty much everyone at a nude as a way to not show rank, and to portray the saying that “everyone is created equal”. In addition to their imperfections and rank, the people’s faces and scenes also show their passion. Passion is another object that is very hard to portray in paintings and sculptures that Michelangelo captures very well. Michelangelo shows passion in “The Last Judgement” with the many scenes of the population trying their hardest to gain Christ’s approval.…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays