-1541 Michelangelo finishes “The Last Judgement” (8/15)

Michelangelo Buonarroti finishes painting “The Last Judgement” in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

The work was officially unveiled on 31 October 1541, and was a scandal. Michelangelo was widely accused of blasphemy and sacrilege. The nude figures and their provocative poses irritated the authorities and the artist’s enemies, and they demanded the fresco be destroyed. However, Pope Paul III was adamant that the fresco should stay. Pope Paul IV, Paul’s III successor, instructed the painter Daniel da Volterra to paint clothing onto the figures, where possible, or at least clothe the most offensive parts of their bodies. Michelangelo impassively watched the mutilation of his work, commenting: “Tell His Holiness that this is a small matter, which can easily be rectified. Let His Holiness attend to the reform of the world: reforming a painting is easily done.”