Italy Blog #57: Last Judgement Painting, Terrible Pope's Blackmail, Michelangelo's Revenge

In this blog about our Italy trip, we were still in Rome (it was May 2013) and we visited the Sistine Chapel (yesterday's blog). Today we'll take a close look at the famous Michelangelo painting called "The Last Judgement" that depicts hell. The painting is on the Altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. We'll explain about the terrible Pope's blackmail and Michelangelo's awesome revenge.

The Terrible Pope - Our guide told us that Michelangelo was blackmailed by Pope Julius II  (elected in 1502) to paint it and the frescoes. Pope Julius II was egotistical. He created the biggest tomb at the time for himself, because he said he deserved it.

Right: the Donkey-eared Hell dweller with the Pope's assistant's face

Blackmailing of Michelangelo - Pope Julius II threatened to "destroy his career" if Michelangelo refused to paint inside the Sistine Chapel. (We think that he was likely implying he'd "out" Michelangelo as being gay.). So, Michelangelo gave in and from 1508 to 1512 he painted the chapel's ceiling. We were told that the Pope's assistant who passed along the threat was especially nasty, so keep that in mind.


Michelangelo's Revenge (Fun Facts) - Never piss off a gay artist. That's what we learned here. In the "Last Judgement" painting Michelangelo decided to get back at the Pope, his assistant and others who were nasty to him. So, he painted the Pope's assistant's face as a figure in Hell with Donkey Ears!  In the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he included Jewish history, much to the pope's dismay.

The bottom line - don't try to blackmail a gay artist and then ask him to paint a public masterpiece for you. :)




FAST FACT- The Sistine Chapel was built by Sistos and completed when Michelangelo was just 5 years old.

NEXT  -The Vatican's "Fig-Leaf Campaign" or "Hide the Penis"