Description
What was the center of focus in the Last Judgment by Michelangelo?
The Last Judgment (Michelangelo)
At the centre of the work is a depiction of Christ, captured in the moment preceding that when the verdict of the Last Judgement is uttered. To Christ's right is his mother, Virgin Mary, who turns her head in a gesture of resignation. Surrounding Christ in a slow rotary movement are figures, identified as the saints and the elect of God. Most notable are Saint Peter, holding the keys of Heaven and Saint Bartholomew with his own skin which is usually recognized as being a self-portrait of Michelangelo. In the centre of the lower section are the angels of the Apocalypse who are wakening the dead to the sound of long trumpets. On the left the risen recover their bodies as they ascend towards heaven, on the right angels and demons fight over making the damned fall down to hell. Below this detail is Charon (here the work invokes Greek mythology; Charon sails the ferry down the Styx), leading the damned into hell where they are greeted by Minos (see below), whose body is wrapped in the coils of the serpent.