The Last Judgment
Painted on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel twenty-five years after the ceiling, The Last Judgment is Michelangelo's most anguished and personal work. Christ the Judge raises his arm in condemnation as souls rise and fall around him. The palette is dominated by a vast blue sky — the largest expanse of lapis lazuli blue in Renaissance art.
Color Mood
Cosmically dramatic. The immense blue sky dwarfs the struggling human figures — Michelangelo uses scale and color together to express theological terror. The largest blue in Renaissance painting is also the most frightening.
Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
Primary Colors
The dominant colors that define the overall mood and atmosphere of the work.
Secondary Colors
Supporting colors that add depth, contrast, and visual interest.
Tertiary Colors
Accent and detail colors that complete the composition.