Fresco of the Sistine Chapel, the Last Judgment. The Last Judgment in Russian painting
On BlogoItaliano we have repeatedly talked about the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and its significance for world culture. There is a worthy reason for a new story. At the end of 2014, the Chapel hosted a presentation of an LED lighting system, thanks to which visitors will be able to literally see Renaissance masterpieces from a new perspective. Therefore, we decided to return to the Sistine Chapel and also look at it in a new way.
The Sistine Chapel, like many other buildings in Rome, appeared thanks to Pope Sixtus IV (Francesco della Rovere).
Sistine Chapel in the Vatican: original view
The prototype for its construction in 1473-81, or rather, the reconstruction that existed since the end of the 14th century. chapels of the Apostolic Palace served as ancient temples, including famous Temple Solomon. The author of the project was Bartolomeo Pontelli, who was one of the leading architects in Rome at that time.
The Sistine Chapel is more reminiscent of a temple than a house chapel
In terms of its dimensions - 40.93 m in length, 13.41 m in width and 20.70 m in height - it really is more reminiscent of a full-fledged temple than a house chapel. Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Pinturicchio, Perugino and Rosselli were involved in its painting - best artists of that time. The invitation to the Vatican of eminent Florentine painters also had a political context: after the Pazzi conspiracy of 1478, the pope wanted to reconcile with the Medici.
The basement level was decorated with paintings imitating tapestry draperies. The southern wall illustrates the Old Testament story of Moses, the northern - scenes from the New Testament. The paintings above the entrance to the Sistine Chapel depicted the final episodes - “The Dispute about the Body of Moses” and “The Resurrection” (lost in 1522 and rewritten in the 70s of the 16th century).
The altar wall was given over to the scenes of “The Finding of Moses” and “The Nativity of Christ,” which Perugino worked on. These paintings were destroyed in the 30s. XVI century, and now in their place there is “ Last Judgment» Michelangelo.
The best artists of the Renaissance participated in the painting of the chapel
Despite the fact that they worked in the chapel various artists, all the frescoes created by 1482 were designed in the same style characteristic of temple paintings: multi-figures, traditional colors and compositional solution, abundance of gilding.
Images of holy popes were placed above the subject frescoes, and the ceiling was a dark blue tent with golden stars, symbolizing firmament(work by Piermatteo d'Amelia).
It is possible that Sistine Chapel in Vatican it would have remained a valuable, but generally mediocre monument for Italy, if Pope Julius II, also known as Giuliano della Rovere, nephew of Sixtus IV, had not taken up the task of rebuilding it.
Michelangelo and the 57 Episodes of the High Renaissance
The reconstruction of the relatively new chapel was required for purely utilitarian reasons. In 1504, during excavations in the Vatican, carried out before construction, unsteady soil Eternal City could not stand it, and the Sistine Chapel “floated.”
Its southern wall was tilted, and the ceiling was disfigured by a huge crack. The cathedral's architect, Bramante, was able to stop further destruction of the chapel, but the paintings on the vaults were hopelessly damaged.
Michelangelo was invited to create new ceiling frescoes. It cannot be said that this order pleased him, especially since he had almost no experience in the field. fresco painting, but the generous payment was able to soften his heart. In addition, Michelangelo perceived this work as a kind of challenge to him as a creator and inventor.
Fresco by Perugino "Transfer of the Keys" (1481–1482)
During 1508-12. he created 57 frescoes. 9 large fragments located in the center of the vault from the entrance to the altar wall illustrate the Book of Genesis - from the Creation of the world to Flood. They are grouped according to the principle of a triptych: the central episodes tell about the main events (the creation of Adam and Eve and the Expulsion), the side ones complement the story.
The illusion of relief of the paintings is created difficult game light and shadow on architectural elements vaults depicting biblical scenes and individual figures of sibyls and prophets. To fully appreciate the skill of a genius, you need to constantly move around the hall, and not stay at one point.
The reason for the appearance in catholic church Pagan and Old Testament subjects, and not, as originally planned, the figures of the Apostles, became the favor of Pope Julius II to the Renaissance idea of \u200b\u200bthe continuity of the ancient and Christian worlds.
The Holy Prophet Zechariah is the father of John the Baptist.
Above the entrance to the Sistine Chapel, where the figure of Jesus was supposed to be located, Michelangelo depicted the prophet Zechariah. Wanting to avoid papal wrath, the master endowed the prophet with the features of Julius II and dressed him in a robe in the colors of the house of della Rovere - blue and gold. But if you look closely at the angel figures behind Zechariah’s shoulder, you can see one of the kids showing the audience a cookie.
However, modern interpreters they go even further and attribute more obscene things to Michelangelo, finding images of the reproductive organs of a man and a woman in the folds of robes in the fresco “The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Planets.”
Sistine Chapel in the Vatican: "The Last Judgment"
The altar wall is a huge fresco by Michelangelo depicting Last Judgment(1536-41). The subject is quite traditional for temple paintings, but absolutely unusual in execution.
Medieval canons prescribed to emphasize the hierarchy of characters with different scales of figures located strictly on different levels. Michelangelo's fresco, for which the Sistine Chapel is famous, is extremely realistic in this regard: both sinners and righteous people are equal before the face of God.
Unusual and central figure Christ carrying out the Last Judgment. This is not a bearded almost old man with a haggard face, but a muscular, clean-shaven young man who is about to stand up and gesture right hand will set in motion the entire host of souls.
The dynamism of the fresco is also given by the intense struggle between angels, literally snatching out saved souls, and devils, rushing to throw vicious souls into hell.
“The Last Judgment” on the altar wall of the chapel
At the top of the “Last Judgment” angels are depicted, traditionally carrying the instruments of the Passion of Christ - a column, a cross and crown of thorns. However, in order to emphasize not the physical, but the spiritual weight of these weapons, Michelangelo depicted the angels as wingless. Charon's boat carrying those doomed to eternal torment (lower right corner of the fresco) is a tribute to Dante and his “ Divine Comedy».
To hell in the form of Minos, whose reproductive organ is bitten off by the serpent, Michelangelo placed Biagio de Cesena, the papal master of ceremonies, outraged by the abundance of naked figures. According to legend, Cesena turned to Paul III for protection, asking him to destroy such a shameful image, but the pope also had a sense of humor, and the unfortunate master of ceremonies received the answer: “Hell is outside the papal jurisdiction.”
Nevertheless, already in 1555, by order of Paul IV, Daniele da Volterra properly covered his private parts, for which he received the nickname “the tailor.”
“Creation of the luminaries” (let there be luminaries in the firmament of heaven...)
There is also an alleged self-portrait of Michelangelo on the “Last Judgment” fresco, but it is also quite peculiar. At the left foot of Christ sits Saint Bartholomew, holding a knife and flayed skin in his hands. The image of the saint is depicted by Pietro Aretino, who accused the master of heresy, which in those days was tantamount to a death sentence, and the facial features of Michelangelo himself can be discerned on the skin.
Pope Clement VII decided, like his predecessor Julius II, to perpetuate the memory of himself and wanted a grandiose fresco to be painted on the Main, altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, and in 1534 he settled on the theme of the Last Judgment. Michelangelo was called upon to complete the pictorial decoration of the Sistine Chapel with the image of the “Last Judgment” on its altar wall, and on the opposite wall he was ordered to show, above the main doors, how Lucifer was expelled from heaven for his pride and how all the angels who sinned with him were cast into the depths of hell. him..
Of these two colossal frescoes, only the first was executed, in 1534 - 1541, already under Pope Paul III
On September 25, 1534, Pope Clement VII died. Michelangelo, fortunately for him, was not in Florence at that time. He had lived in constant fear for a long time. Clement VII's nephew, Duke Alessandro, hated him and, if not for the patronage of the pope, would have long ago ordered his death. This hostility increased even more when Michelangelo, not wanting to contribute to the greater enslavement of Florence, refused to build a citadel that would dominate the city.
Michelangelo was very busy and relieved and decided that Pope Clement's order had been cancelled. At the age of sixty, on September 23, 1534, Michelangelo moved to Rome, where he remained until his death, in 1546 he even received Roman citizenship.
It is known that the master returned from time to time to work on the tomb of Pope Julius II, but the last thirty years of Michelangelo’s life were marked by his gradual retreat from sculpture and painting and turning mainly to architecture and poetry.
After the short reign of Pope Andrian, the elderly Paul III of the House of Farnese was elected to the papal throne, immediately after his election new dad summoned Michelangelo, insisting that he work for him and remain with him. He also wanted to immortalize himself and confirmed the order of Pope Clement
But Michelangelo was at that time bound by an agreement with the Duke of Urbino. Hearing this, the angry old man said: “I’ve had this desire for thirty years now; will I really not fulfill it when I become a pope? I will break the contract: I want you to serve me.”
According to Vasari, Michelangelo wanted to flee Rome again, but in the end he “prudently feared the power of the pope” and submitted to him. The power of the Pope is enormous. The punishing sword of the Vatican is terrible for the disobedient. Under the same Paul III, the fires of the Inquisition will blaze in Italy, and the new order of Jesuits with the slogan “The end justifies the means” will soon manifest their cruel activities.
Pope Paul III commissioned Michelangelo to paint the gospel scene of the Last Judgment on the altar wall of the same Sistine Chapel (the order was received in 1533-1534).
Above this fresco is almost two hundred square meters, the largest fresco Renaissance Michelangelo worked (with some interruptions) for six years, alone, without the participation of assistants.
Many years have passed since the completion of the ceiling frescoes (1508-1512). The master has changed. If early work dedicated to the first days of creation and glorified the powerful creative human energy, then the “Last Judgment” contains the idea of the collapse of the world and retribution for acts committed on earth.
The artist decided to show, deviating from all Christian traditions, the Second Coming of Christ as a day of anger, horror, struggle of passions and hopeless despair. He carried out his plan. The fresco evokes horror and delight.
Apocalypse and Dante - these are the sources of the Last Judgment
To implement the plan, it was necessary to prepare the wall. I had to close 2 windows, remove two paintings with relatives of Christ (the work of Michelangelo), 2 frescoes with figures of popes and frescoes by Perugino (baby Moses is found by the river, Adoration of the shepherds who learned about the birth of Christ).
The process of painting with tempera is complex.
The fresco was painted on wet plaster, which sets in ten minutes and requires skill and experience: as soon as the brush, which had been sliding easily before, begins to “harrow” the base and “spread” the paint, the painting stops, since the paint layer will no longer penetrate deep into the base and won't stick.
The layer of plaster that remains unwritten is cut obliquely outwards, new part plastered to the previous layer. Only minor corrections are possible; it cannot be remade: the bad places are simply lost and the painting process is repeated.
When starting work, the artist must imagine what the colors he used will become after final drying (after 7 - 10 days). Usually they are greatly highlighted. In a day, artists usually paint 3-4 square meters walls.
In addition, Michelangelo decided a daunting task- combine the painting of the altar wall with the previously executed vault fresco in such a way as not to interfere with the perception of each of them and at the same time combine them in one ensemble.
“Born and raised in an era when his humanistic ideals and sense of the naked body could be appreciated... Michelangelo was forced to live in an era that he could not help but despise... His passion was the nude figure, his ideal was strength. But what could he do if stories like “The Last Judgment,” according to the powerful, unshakable laws of the Christian world, were supposed to express humility and sacrifice? But humility and patience were as unfamiliar to Michelangelo as to Dante, as to the creative geniuses of all eras.
Even experiencing these feelings, he would not have been able to express them, for his naked figures are full of power, but not weakness, horror, but not fear, despair, but not submission... “The Last Judgment” is conceived as grandiosely as possible, like the last moment before the disappearance of the universe into chaos, like the dream of the gods before its sunset... For when a catastrophe comes, no one will survive it, not even the supreme deity himself.
Therefore, Michelangelo failed in the concept of this plot, and it could not have been otherwise.
But where else can you, even if you take everything? world art Overall, to feel such a tremendous charge of energy as in that dream, or rather, the giant’s nightmare?”
Bernson
The section is based on materials
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http://http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Michelangelo Buonarroti "The Last Judgment", Altar Wall Fresco 1535-1541
Buonarroti Michelangelo
Last Judgment. Fresco of the altar wall, 1535-1541
17 x 13.3 m.
Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome“The Last Judgment” is, first of all, a colossal world drama. Only a mighty genius can convey the entire horror of a global catastrophe in one episode, in several separate stories. Corruption of morals, debauchery and cynicism, effeminacy and deceit, corruption and frivolity - all this causes moral decline and requires atonement for broken divine laws. With love in his heart and anger on his lips, the great Michelangelo addresses the world here.
Only a passionate desire for perfection and truth can give a person the strength to move towards his goal with courageous patience and will. The creation of “The Last Judgment” took over five years - longer than painting the vault of the Sistine Chapel. Two frescoes by Perugino and paintings by Michelangelo in the lunettes of the altar wall had to be destroyed to give full scope to the epic “The Last Judgment.” The window openings in the building had to be sealed, which changed both the lighting and the perception of other works.
The fresco amazes with its monumentality and scope. It depicts about 400 figures in various, never repeated poses. Thanks to the artist’s skill, each figure seems three-dimensional, as if it were not painted, but sculptured. The plot of such an extensive composition is fully consistent with the power of knowledge and the courage of imagination, the richness of lines and contours, the effects of light and shadow. A whole world of varied movements reflects internal movements. All kinds of feelings, passions, movements of thought, hope, despair, envy, impotent anger, horror, pain and moral decline find their place next to tenderness, joy and admiration.
Michelangelo’s solution to the theme of “The Last Judgment” differs from the traditional one: the moment chosen was not the execution of the judgment, but its beginning. The appearance of a beardless Christ (going back to the early Christian type of Christ Emmanuel) and naked wingless angels are unusual. The inclusion of a reminder of the passion of Christ in the Last Judgment scene is also unusual. Main literary source for the master there was the “Gospel of Matthew” and individual motives go back to other sources - from the “Vision of Ezekiel” ( Old Testament) to Dante's Divine Comedy (scene with Charon).
The author’s unusual decision in constructing the composition preserves the most important traditional elements iconography. The space is divided into two main plans: heavenly - with Christ the judge, the Mother of God and saints and earthly - with scenes resurrection of the dead and dividing them into righteous and sinners.
Trumpeting angels herald the beginning of the Last Judgment. A book has been opened in which all human deeds are written. Christ Himself is not a merciful redeemer, but a punishing Master. The Judge's gesture sets into motion a slow but inexorable circular movement that draws into its flow the ranks of the righteous and the sinners. The Mother of God, sitting next to Christ, turned away from what was happening. She abandons her traditional role as intercessor and listens with trepidation to the final verdict. There are saints around: apostles, prophets. In the hands of the martyrs are instruments of torture, symbols of the suffering they endured for their faith.
The dead, opening their eyes with hope and horror, rise from their graves and go to God's judgment. Some rise easily and freely, others more slowly, depending on the severity of their own sins. Strong in spirit help those in need get up.
The faces of those who have to go down to cleanse themselves are full of horror. Anticipating terrible torment, sinners do not want to go to hell. But the forces aimed at maintaining justice push them to where the people who caused suffering should be. And the devils pull them to Minos, who, with his tail wrapped around his body, indicates the circle of hell to which the sinner should descend. (The artist gave the judge of dead souls the facial features of the master of ceremonies Pope Biagio da Cesena, who often complained about the nudity of the depicted figures. His donkey ears are a symbol of ignorance.) And nearby is a barge driven by the ferryman Charon. With one movement he takes away sinful souls. Their despair and fury are conveyed with stunning force. To the left of the barge there is a hellish abyss - there is the entrance to purgatory, where demons await new sinners. It seems that you can hear the screams of horror and the gnashing of teeth of the unfortunate
Above, outside the powerful whirlpool, wingless angels with symbols of the suffering of the Redeemer himself soar over the souls awaiting salvation. At the top right, beautiful and young creatures bear the attributes of saving sinners.
All the years spent working on this painting, Michelangelo lived in solitude, only occasionally enjoying the company of a few friends. Despite the patronage of the Pope, and perhaps precisely as a result of this, misunderstanding, envy and anger haunted the artist. There were many critics who declared Michelangelo's creation obscene. When Pope Paul IV suggested that he put the painting “in order,” that is, “cover up the shameful parts,” the master replied: “Tell dad that this is a trivial matter... Let him, in the meantime, put order in the world, but you can put order in painting quickly...” Nevertheless, the Council of Trent decided to cover the nakedness of the figures with draperies.
It is no coincidence that Michelangelo placed St. Bartholomew at the feet of Christ. In his left hand the saint holds the skin that was flayed alive from him by the persecutors of the first Christians. By giving the face distorted by suffering, which is depicted on the flayed skin, his own features, Michelangelo captured the unbearable mental anguish that he experienced while creating his great creation.
Michelangelo's fame exceeded any expectations. Immediately after the consecration of the Last Judgment fresco, pilgrims from all over Italy and even from abroad rushed to the Sistine Chapel. “And this serves as an example in our art great painting, sent down by the earthly god, so that they could see how fate guides the minds of the highest order that descended to earth, absorbing grace and divine wisdom” (Vasari).
The Last Judgment fresco by Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of greatest works of all times and peoples. It still adorns the altar wall in the Sistine Chapel today. “The Last Judgment” created by Michelangelo - description and illustration is not just religious plot, but catastrophes on a universal scale. For my interpretation Holy Scripture the artist was revered and condemned at the same time both during his lifetime and over the next several centuries.
Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) lived quite a long time even by modern standards. During this time he created a lot brilliant works. Great sculptor and the artist in the Sistine Chapel worked twice. The first time, from 1508 to 1512, he worked on it by order of Pope Julius II. The biblical tales written by Michelangelo from the creation of the world to the flood, which adorn the vault of the chapel, represent some of the most famous works author.
The next time the master turned up here much later. Michelangelo created The Last Judgment from 1534 to 1541, when he was already an elderly man. Karina reflected not so much the traditional understanding of the plot as the author’s rethinking of man with his fears and hopes and his complete subordination to fate.
The fresco was originally commissioned by the master from Pope Clement VII, who died during the preparatory work for the painting. He was replaced by Paul III, like his predecessor, who wished to immortalize his name in history with the help of a great work created by Michelangelo. It must be said that he completely succeeded. The Sistine Chapel is considered today the best repository of masterpieces of the Renaissance, and along with the name of Michelangelo, the names of his customers are often heard in its halls.
Deviation from the canon
Michelangelo Buonarroti's "Last Judgment" - a description of the biblical ending human history, very different from the usual medieval pictorial images. Christ is depicted at the moment of dividing people into righteous and sinners. He is not like an all-forgiving God, but an inexorable punisher, the mighty and formidable Zeus. He embodies not hope and salvation, but law and retribution. This is the only static figure that is the center of the picture. The remaining characters depicted create a cycle. The illusion of movement occurs whenever you look closely at the center of the fresco.
However, the main point in the work of the great master was the nudity of all figures, including Christ. The Supreme Judge, angels, sinners and saints were all depicted naked, endowed with clearly defined bodies. Through the elaboration of poses, Michelangelo achieved extraordinary expressiveness of the painting. And it was these two moments, the naked bodies and the presentation of the Last Judgment in the form of a catastrophe, that caused the most criticism among the master’s contemporaries in subsequent eras.
Michelangelo “The Last Judgment”: description of the painting
Compositionally, the picture is divided into several parts. In the center is the figure of Jesus Christ. His hand is raised in a punishing gesture, his menacing face is turned towards the sinners. Next to Christ is the Virgin Mary, she turned away in confusion. Madonna cannot interfere in the court, but she is also not able to reject selfless love for all humanity.
The central figures are surrounded by two rows of bodies. In the first, the neighbor, the prophets and apostles are located. The second circle is formed by the bodies of sinners falling and dragged by demons into the abyss of hell, and the ascending righteous.
At the bottom of the fresco are seven angels announcing the arrival Last day. Graves open under them, the dead again receive bodies, Charon drives sinners from his boat into the abysses of hell with an oar.
Circle one
Among the saints surrounding Christ, many figures are clearly recognizable. The apostles are present here with in their hands. The holy martyrs are depicted with objects that led to their suffering and death. This is St. Sebastian with arrows, St. Lawrence holding the grate on which he was burned, St. Bartholomew with a knife. Some researchers see in the distorted face on the flayed skin that the martyr is holding in his second hand, a self-portrait of Michelangelo.
However, many of the figures in this circle remain unrecognized due to the lack of characteristic details that would help identify them.
Circle two
“The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo is a painting that produces a rather strong and even somewhat difficult impression. There is no place for triumph and rejoicing here. The joy of the righteous, close to Christ, is drowned in the cycle of bodies, where even those going to heaven seem dumbfounded and frightened. Sinners crying out for justice, angels overthrowing the cross and column (symbols of martyrdom and transitory power) at the top of the fresco, righteous people rising into the sky - it is difficult to distinguish them from each other, the cycle can sweep away everyone. Only Christ, as the basis and core, is able to lead him.
Michelangelo depicted in the fresco primarily people with their passions, deeds, fears and hopes. Some of the figures are clearly recognizable as the master's contemporaries. Here you can see Pope Paul III and Clement VII, the master of ceremonies Biagio da Cesena (he is depicted as the king of souls Minos with donkey ears) and one of the ardent opponents of the painting, Pietro Aretino.
Attacks
Controversy surrounding the mural erupted immediately after its completion. According to some, it was great masterpiece. Their opponents said that the master treated the images of holy men and Jesus himself completely inappropriately, painting them naked, and desecrated the chapel with such a fresco. They even tried to accuse Michelangelo of heresy.
The new Pope Paul IV was among the opponents of work. Initially, he intended to completely knock down the fresco from the altar wall, but later changed his mind. He demanded to write clothes and draperies that would hide the nudity of the characters in the picture, which was done. Later, such an instruction will be given several more times. During such modifications, the fresco suffered in terms of visual integrity. During the restoration process in the last century, it was decided to wash away all later sketches and leave only the 16th century records to reflect the spirit and contradictions of the era.
Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" still strikes all visitors to the Sistine Chapel to the core. It occupies a significant place in both religious and art world. Despite numerous attempts to modify, remove or “ennoble” it, the masterpiece still conveys the power of thought of the great Michelangelo. “The Last Judgment,” a photo of which is available on many art history resources, is rightfully considered one of the symbols of the Renaissance.
Sistine Chapel. 7. Michelangelo. Part 3Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)
"THE LAST JUDGMENT"
In 1534, almost a quarter of a century after finishing the painting of the Sistine ceiling, Michelangelo began work on one of the most ambitious frescoes in the history of world painting.
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Pope Clement VII was considering the theme of the fresco painting of the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, and in 1534 he settled on the theme of the Last Judgment. Michelangelo was called upon to complete the picturesque decoration of the Sistine Chapel with the image on its altar wall of the Last Judgment, and on the opposite wall of the Fall of Lucifer. Of these two colossal frescoes, only the first was executed, in 1534 - 1541, already under Pope Paul III. Michelangelo worked on the largest fresco of the Renaissance, again alone, without the participation of assistants.
Both the theme of the painting “The Last Judgment” and the nature of its solution indicate the shifts that have occurred in creative evolution master, especially evident when comparing the painting of the altar wall and the vault. If the early work was dedicated to the first days of creation and glorified the powerful creative energy of man, then “The Last Judgment” contains the idea of the collapse of the world and retribution for acts committed on earth.
This fresco is one of the most mature and famous works masters Michelangelo departs from traditional iconography, depicting not the moment of the Judgment, when the righteous are already separated from the sinners, but its beginning: Christ, with a punishing gesture of a raised hand, brings down the dying Universe before our eyes.
Michelangelo depicted all the characters naked, and this was the deep calculation of the great master. In the physical, in the infinite variety of human poses, he, who was so able to convey the movements of the soul, through a person and by means of a person, depicted the entire huge psychological gamut of feelings that overwhelmed them. But to depict God and the apostles naked - for this in those days great courage was needed.
The holy martyrs and those who found salvation crowd around Christ. Compassionate, as if depressed by what is happening, Madonna turns away, human sorrows are close to her in a motherly way.
Six years of intense work once again connect Michelangelo with the Sistine Chapel. This time he covers about 200 square meters with painting. meters of the altar wall of the chapel. Moreover, Michelangelo solved the most difficult task - to combine the painting of the altar wall with the one executed earlier vault fresco in such a way as not to interfere with the perception of each of them and at the same time combine them in one ensemble. And the artist coped with this task brilliantly.
If the vault painting is complex system with architectonically clear divisions and a multitude of compositions and images replacing one another, then the altar wall is occupied by one gigantic composition. Many groups and figures are rhythmically united in it. The space in this fresco is shallow, but it seems to have the ability to endlessly expand in all directions, which helps to increase the scale and monumentality of the image.
Despite the one-sidedness with which the artist treated its subject in this painting, deviating from all Christian traditions and presenting the Second Coming of Christ as a day of wrath, horror, struggle of passions and hopeless despair, despite the depressing impression, it amazes with the courage of its design and the unique grandeur of the composition , amazing mastery of drawing, especially in angles, and generally belongs to the most marvelous monuments of painting, although it is inferior in dignity to the ceiling of the same chapel.
Apocalypse and Dante are the sources of the Last Judgment:
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And when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for what seemed like half an hour.
And I saw seven angels who stood before God; and seven trumpets were given to them.
And another Angel came and stood before the altar, holding a golden censer; and a great deal of incense was given to him, so that with the prayers of all the saints he would place it on the golden altar, which was in front of the throne.
And the smoke of incense ascended with the prayers of the saints from the hand of an Angel before God.
And the Angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the ground: and there were voices, and thunder, and lightning, and an earthquake.
And the seven Angels, having seven trumpets, prepared to blow.
The first angel sounded, and there was hail and fire, mixed with blood, and fell to the earth; and the third part of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood,
and the third part of the living creatures that dwell in the sea died, and the third part of the ships perished.
The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a lamp, and fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
The name of this star is “wormwood”; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many of the people died from the waters, because they became bitter.
The fourth angel sounded, and a third part of the sun and a third part of the moon and a third part of the stars were struck, so that a third part of them was darkened, and a third part of the day was not light, just like the nights. ...
The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven to earth, and the key to the well of the abyss was given to it.
She opened the pit of the deep, and smoke came out of the pit like smoke from a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the vault.
And out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given the power that the scorpions of the earth have.
And she was told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any greenery, or any tree, but only to people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.... The sixth angel sounded, and I heard one voice from the four golden horns altar standing before God,
He said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: release the four angels bound by the great river Euphrates.
And four Angels were released, prepared for an hour and a day, and a month and a year, in order to kill the third part of people. ...
And the seventh angel sounded, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.
And the twenty-four elders, sitting on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
saying: We thank You, O Lord God Almighty, Who art and was and who is to come, that You have received Your great power and reigned.
And the pagans became furious; and Your wrath has come and the time to judge the dead and to give retribution to Your servants, the prophets and saints and those who fear Your name, small and great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple; and there were lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail.(Revelation of John the Theologian (Apocalypse) 8-11)
In the lower part of the fresco, Charon, the ferryman across the hellish river, ferociously expels those condemned to eternal torment from his boat into hell with blows of the oar. The devils are dragging in a joyful frenzy naked bodies proud people, heretics, traitors... men and women are thrown into a bottomless abyss.
The center of the composition is the figure of Jesus Christ, the only one stable and not susceptible to the whirlwind of movement of the characters.
Christ Himself is not a merciful redeemer, but a punishing Master. The Judge's gesture sets into motion a slow but inexorable circular movement that draws into its flow the ranks of the righteous and the sinners. The Mother of God, sitting next to Christ, turned away from what was happening. She abandons her traditional role as intercessor and listens with trepidation to the final verdict.
All the years spent working on this painting, Michelangelo lived in solitude, only occasionally enjoying the company of a few friends. Despite the patronage of the Pope, and perhaps precisely as a result of this, misunderstanding, envy and anger haunted the artist. There were many critics who declared Michelangelo's creation obscene. When Pope Paul IV suggested that he put the painting “in order,” that is, “cover up the shameful parts,” the master replied: “Tell dad that this is a trivial matter... Let him, in the meantime, put order in the world, but you can put order in painting quickly...” Nevertheless, the Council of Trent decided to cover the nakedness of the figures with draperies. According to Vasari, Pope Paul IV in the 1550s. was going to knock down the fresco. But instead, in 1565, a year after the death of Michelangelo, the artist Daniele da Volterra was commissioned to “dress” the saints or cover their nakedness with loincloths, and Volterra received the nickname “undercoat”, with which his name remained associated forever. These records were partially removed during the restoration, which ended in 1993.
Michelangelo was disappointed. He failed to create a coherent scene. The figures and groups look disconnected from each other, there is no unity between them. But the artist managed to express something else - the great drama of all humanity, the disappointment and despair of an individual person.
Note: Most grave sin- “despair”. This sin degrades the all-holy Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, rejects His omnipotence, rejects the salvation He bestowed - it shows that arrogance and pride previously dominated in the soul, that faith and humility were alien to it. More than from all other sins, one must be guarded, as from a deadly poison, as from a fierce beast, from despair. I repeat: despair is the worst sin among all sins. (STAINED IGNATIUS (BRYANCHANINOV)It is no coincidence that Michelangelo placed St. Bartholomew at the feet of Christ. In his left hand the saint holds the skin that was flayed alive from him by the persecutors of the first Christians. By giving the face distorted by suffering, which is depicted on the flayed skin, his own features, Michelangelo captured the unbearable mental anguish that he experienced while creating his great creation.
Michelangelo's fame exceeded any expectations. Immediately after the consecration of the Last Judgment fresco, pilgrims from all over Italy and even from abroad rushed to the Sistine Chapel. “And this in our art serves as an example of great painting, sent down by the earthly God, so that they could see how fate guides minds of a higher order who descended to earth, absorbing grace and divine wisdom” (Vasari).
On the last day of October 1541, the senior clergy and invited laity gathered in the Sistine Chapel to attend the unveiling of a new fresco on the altar wall. The tense anticipation and shock of what he saw were so great, and the general nervous excitement so charged the atmosphere that the pope (already Paul III Farnese) fell to his knees in front of the fresco with reverent horror, begging God not to remember his sins on the day of the Last Judgment.
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