The Last Judgment
Artist: Michelangelo- Sistine Chapel
between 1537 and 1541
Michelangelo included numerous saints and martyrs among the figures surrounding Christ in The Last Judgment. Some can be recognized through objects associated with their lives and deaths. Saint Peter holds the keys, while Saint Bartholomew carries his flayed skin. Saint Lawrence is associated with a gridiron, Saint Sebastian with arrows, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria with a wheel. These attributes allowed Renaissance viewers to recognize familiar Christian figures within the enormous gathering.
The New Testament repeatedly calls believers to remain faithful despite suffering and persecution. Jesus warned his followers that discipleship could bring opposition, while Revelation portrays those who remained faithful to God even through death. The presence of martyrs around Christ expresses the Christian conviction that suffering for the faith does not end in defeat. Their gathering also recalls the promise of resurrection and eternal life. The particular instruments associated with many saints come from later Christian traditions rather than direct biblical accounts.
Michelangelo distinguishes several saints through dramatic gestures and recognizable objects rather than elaborate clothing or decorative halos. Their muscular bodies and expressive movements make them active participants in the heavenly assembly. Saint Bartholomew's hanging skin is especially striking because its distorted face is commonly interpreted as a self-portrait of Michelangelo. The saints are not presented as distant, motionless figures. They share in the tension of the moment as Christ prepares to pronounce judgment.
