The Last Judgment, 17×13 meters, fresco, Vatican Museums, Rome. This moving monumental painting, seventeen meters long and fourteen meters wide, is Michelangelo’s greatest masterpiece following the Creation of Adam. Based on the spirit of humanism, it expresses compassion and places new hope for humanity’s future. The magnificent, powerful, and charming Last Judgment displays over two hundred figures of diverse forms. Under Michelangelo’s religious fervor, it sings of the unity of human flesh, mind, and spirit, while also reflecting the social situation of the time, especially during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, warning Catholics to remain steadfast in their faith amidst the impact of the Reformation.

The majestic and passionate painting, full of dynamic movement, centers on Jesus Christ as the vortex of the entire rhythm. It is divided into four consistent parts from top to bottom. The top two balanced, symmetrical semi-circular scenes depict the instruments of torture when Jesus Christ was crucified and executed: the left shows Jesus nailed to the cross, with apostles and believers enthusiastically embracing it; the right shows them fervently embracing the column where Jesus was tortured, strongly implying an unwavering faith in religion.

The Last Judgment takes the savior standing between heaven and earth, Jesus Christ, as its core. Young, strong, resolute, and radiant, he presides over justice with a powerful raised right hand, sacred and majestic, full of dynamism like a great commander, making impartial final judgments. To Christ’s right is the Virgin Mary; surrounding Jesus Christ are the anxious twelve apostles, saints holding instruments of martyrdom, and humble believers, forming two extraordinary nude groups. All visual focus converges on the solemn Jesus Christ, listening to his wise judgment.

On the right side of the image (Christ’s left), an old man with a huge body holding large keys is the Apostle Saint Peter. Sitting on clouds beneath him, holding a small knife in his right hand and flayed skin in his left, is the martyr Saint Bartholomew, who was flayed alive. Notably, the face on this skin is Michelangelo’s bold self-portrait, intriguingly hinting at the artist’s suffering. On the far right, before the restless crowd, a strong young saint carries a cross: this is Saint Andrew. Crouching beside Saint Andrew, holding a bow and arrow in his left hand, is the young saint Saint Sebastian. Beside him, a female saint holding wheels with both hands is Saint Catherine; a young messenger holding iron bars with both hands is Saint Lawrence.

On the left side of the image (Christ’s right), a burly figure before the stunned crowd is James, with his twelve children behind him. Next to this group are magnificent, abundant, and sensual Hebrew women and sorceresses. Those surrounding Jesus Christ have been judged and reside in heaven.

In the third part (under Jesus Christ’s judgment), angels descending from heaven on clouds blow trumpets loudly in the rhythmic vortex, announcing the list of judgment. On the left are the good souls rewarded with salvation, rising to heaven supported by angels. On the right are the evil souls condemned to punishment, pushed down into hell by angels.

Part Four: Hell. On the left, good souls called by God rise from the dead, awakening one by one, and depart for heaven under the assistance of angels. On the right is the thrilling hell. Here, Michelangelo illustrates Dante’s view of hell in The Divine Comedy: crossing the Acheron River leads into hell. On this river of yin and yang, a boat laden with evil spirits sails toward the shore. The ferryman Charon stands on the boat, vigorously wielding oars to drive these panicked evil spirits into hell. In the terrifying underworld, a robust, horrifying figure with ears on his head, entangled by pythons, is Minos, the judge of the underworld (a portrait of Biagio da Cesena, the papal chamberlain).

(Regarding Minos’s image, there is an interesting anecdote: When three-quarters of The Last Judgment was completed, Pope Paul III came to see the painting. Michelangelo was working hard. The Pope asked Biagio da Cesena, who accompanied him, “What do you think of this painting?” The chamberlain replied: “It is too shameless to paint so many naked people in such a holy place. ‘Truly shameful.’ Such things belong only in baths and inns, not in such a solemn and sacred place.” Hearing this, Michelangelo was very angry and painted the chamberlain’s image as Minos entangled by a python. Cesena repeatedly begged the Pope to intercede with the artist to remove the image, but was refused. At that time, Paul III humorously said to the chamberlain: “If Michelangelo had put you in Purgatory, I could still try to save you, but since he has put you in Hell, I am powerless. There is no rescue in Hell.” Thus, the chamberlain’s image was preserved.)