Pope Julius II had originally hired Michelangelo to design and sculpt his papal tomb for St. Peter's. While in the middle of the project, the pope pulled the artist away to "decorate" the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel--the pope's smaller chapel inside the Vatican. The result was one of the greatest frescoes in history. The work is massive--when in the chapel you feel like you are personally INSIDE a work of art. It is truly an inspiring experience. The work itself is a very Renaissance blend of religious images (mostly Old Testament figures and scenes) and classical figures like the Roman sybil at top left. Thirty years after finishing the ceiling, the artists was once again commissioned for a work in the chapel. This time he created the huge "Last Judgment" (above center and top right) that covers the entire wall behind the altar.
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