nies of the blessed, and seated
upon the clouds, the sovereign Judge with a terrible action hurls his
malediction upon the condemned: _"Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum."_ The
Virgin turns away her head and trembles. On Christ's right is Adam, and
on his left, St. Peter. They have exactly the same positions assigned to
them by Dante in his _Paradiso_.

This immense work was exhibited to the public on Christmas Day, 1541. It
had cost eight years of work. Michael Angelo was then sixty-seven years
old.

Several anecdotes relating to this great picture have come down to us.

It is related that the Pope, scandalized at the nudity of certain
figures, a nudity which Daniele da Volterra was afterwards charged to
clothe, sent word to Michael Angelo that he must cover them.

Michael Angelo replied with his usual brusqueness:

"Tell the Pope that he must employ himself a little less in correcting
my pictures, which is very easy, and employ himself a little more in
reforming men, which is very difficult."

It is said that Maestro Biaggio, master of ceremonies to Paul III.,
having accompanied the Pope on a visit that His Holiness made to see
Michael Angelo's fresco when it was about half finished, allowed himself
to express his own opinion upon _The Last Judgment_.

"Holy Father," said the good Messer Biaggio, "if I dare pronounce my
judgment, this picture seems more appropriate to figure in a tavern than
in the chapel of a Pope."

Unfortunately for the master of ceremonies, Michael Angelo was behind
him and did not lose a word of Messer Biaggio's compliment. The Pope had
scarcely gone before the irritated artist, wishing to make an example as
a warning for all future critics, placed this Messer Biaggio in his
hell, well and duly, under the scarcely flattering guise of Minos. That
was always Dante's way when he wanted to avenge himself upon an enemy.

I leave you to imagine the lamentations and complaints of the poor
master of ceremonies when he saw himself damned in this manner. He threw
himself at the Pope's feet, declaring that he would never arise unless
His Holiness would have him taken out of hell: that was the most
important thing. As for the punishment, that the painter deserved for
this dreadful sacrilege, Messer Biaggio would leave that entirely to the
high impartiality of the Holy Father.

"Messer Biaggio," replied Paul III. with as much seriousness as he could
maintain, "you know that I have received from God a