The artwork, titled “Study for ‘The Last Judgement’,” was created by Michelangelo around 1530 in Italy. It is rendered in chalk on paper and belongs to the Mannerism, or Late Renaissance, art movement. This drawing is a sketch and study from the series of the Sistine Chapel Paintings and is currently housed in the Louvre, Paris, France.
The artwork features the detailed musculature of a human figure, depicted with a dynamic pose, highlighting Michelangelo’s profound understanding of human anatomy. The chalk lines gracefully contour the figure’s form, exhibiting Michelangelo’s signature technique and the finesse of his draftsmanship. The positioning of the limbs and torso conveys motion and tension, characteristic of the preparatory sketches that underpinned his masterpiece, “The Last Judgement” in the Sistine Chapel. Other partial sketches can be faintly observed around the primary figure, giving insight into the meticulous process undertaken by Michelangelo in the creation of his monumental works.
