Statement I will be discussing the main differences between Giotto's and Michelangelo's Last Judgment frescoes which is based on Revelations in the bible which states Christ's return to earth on the second coming to cast judgment on humanity and bring the blessed to heaven and cast the damn to hell. The main differences between these two historical painting is the overall style and context between the two artist. Giotto version was completed in 1305 and differs dramatically than the later version of Michelangelo's fresco. Giotto took a more colorful and conservative approach while leaving some of the supernatural visual aspects to the imagination of the viewer. Michelangelo's version, considered to be one of his last and greatest pieces and a change in style for the artist, is a bit more dark in color and context while the figures representing Christ, angels, saints, the blessed and the…show more content… A large blue depiction of Satan (or Minos) devouring souls while he appears to be defecating them out. Demons, serpents, and devils are pictured torturing souls while over to the far right, just above Satan, are figures hanging by bags of money which represents Usurers being damned to hell for usury. Also hanging is Judas, Christ closest disciple damned for the betrayal of Christ.
Christ is seated in the center of the painting in a circle of light or halo, surrounded by angels. Seated around him are the twelve apostles. Christ's right hand is reaching out to summon the blessed to heaven while his left hand is rejecting the damned and sending them to hell. Surrounding the halo are angels blowing trumpets which signifies the end of time and at the very top, there are angels rolling back the sky as if it were a scroll, showing the gates of heaven. [ http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6z_Kjsn8VLI/maxresdefault.jpg ]
The Last Judgment, Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1534-1541, Fresco (13'7 x 12'2