Pope Julius II commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Upon completing the ceiling, Michelangelo returned to create the large fresco, which would become The Last Judgment.  When the piece was unveiled, it received a mixed response. It is a depiction of the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity. The dead rise and descend to their fates, as judged by Christ who is surrounded by prominent saints. Altogether there are over 300 figures, with nearly all the males and angels originally shown as nudes; many were later partly covered up by painted draperies.

The fresco covers the whole altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It measures 13.7 m × 12 m (539.3 in × 472.4 in)

As the title suggests, this painting depicts the final judgment of humanity. Jesus is the centerpiece of this painting, arm raised, announcing His judgment. On His right are those destined for the kingdom, and on His left are the condemned. 

Many were scandalized by the painting’s nudity and the inclusion of mythological figures like Charon and Minos. Many argued that Michaelangelo was more interested in showing off his abilities than portraying simple, sacred truths. It is a depiction of the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity. The dead rise and descend to their fates, as judged by Christ who is surrounded by prominent saints. Altogether there are over 300 figures, with nearly all the males and angels originally shown as nudes; many were later partly covered up by painted draperies, of which some remain after recent cleaning and restoration. In the lower part of the fresco, Michelangelo followed tradition in showing the saved ascending at the left and the damned descending at the right. In the upper part, the inhabitants of Heaven are joined by the newly saved. The fresco is more monochromatic than the ceiling frescoes and is dominated by the tones of flesh and sky. Michelangelo's  arrangement and posing of the figures across the entire painting give an impression of agitation and excitement, and even in the upper parts there is  disturbance, tension and commotion in the figures. Michelangelo gives an impression that all the groups of figures are circling the central figure of Christ in a huge rotary movement.

Other artists were hired to paint over some of the forms with drapery and fig leaves.