"The Last Jugdment"

This painting is called “The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo. It can be found on the alter wall at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Italy. It took Michelangelo six years to finish the portrait. The painting is so big that It covers the entire wall behind the alter. In painting “the Last Judgment”, Michelangelo self portrait can actually be scene twice. It can be seen in the flayed skin that Saint Bartholomew is holding on to in his left hand. Also, it can be found in the left hand corner where one figure is looking up at the people rising from their graves.
In this image Michelangelo tries to interpret the difference between heaven and hell. In doing he then goes on to depict, “Christ the Judge, who compels the damned to the underworld with his left hand and lifts up the saved to heaven with his right.” Michelangelo put a great deal of emphasis on Christ because he is the one who decides where every will go in there afterlife. Christ is then balanced with the devil in the composition. The painting shows the devil at bottom or the underworld, taking people down with him. Then you have Christ who is rejecting people, but is also sending people above or heaven. The composition is also balanced in color. Michelangelo show dark color near the bottom where the devil is and turns above and show bright, peaceful colors near Christ and heaven. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/vatican-sistine-chapel.htm