Painted on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, 28 years after Michelangelo completed the glorious and hopeful ceiling, The Last Judgment is full of stark images depicting the End of Days. James Connor uses the famous fresco as the lens through which to view the end of the Renaissance, arguing that Michelangelo's imagery and composition provide clues to understand the religious and political upheavals of the time.
Uncovering the secrets behind the fresco, Connor details the engrossing stories of conspiring kings, plotting popes, and murderous rivalries between noble families like the Medicis and the della Roveres – all who were vying for control over Michelangelo and his art. The Last Judgment combines enchanting storytelling with incisive historical detective work,demonstrating how Michelangelo was inspired by Copernicus and how the Counter-Reformation arose from the ashes of the Renaissance.