Artwork

Male Figure. After Michelangelo's "Last Judgement" in the Sistine Chapel

Male Figure. After Michelangelo's "Last Judgement" in the Sistine Chapel is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Nicolai Abildgaard. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Male Figure.

About this work

Overview

Male Figure. After Michelangelo's 'Last Judgement' is an 1774 oil painting by Nicolai Abildgaard, a Danish neoclassical artist and educator. The work is based on Abildgaard's study of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco and is now part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a nude male figure, except for a draped green cloth at the waist, in a dynamic, twisted pose with raised arms and bent legs. The subject is derived from Abildgaard's interpretation of figures in Michelangelo's 'Last Judgement'.

Technique & Style

Abildgaard employed neoclassical techniques, emphasizing classical form and detailed anatomy. The painting features chiaroscuro, creating depth and volume by contrasting light and dark, and a muted brown background that highlights the figure's muscularity and vein details.

History & Provenance

Created in 1774, the painting reflects Abildgaard's academic approach as a professor at the New Royal Danish Academy of Art. It is currently housed at Statens Museum for Kunst as part of its collection.

Context

This work exemplifies the neoclassical movement's revival of interest in classical Greek and Roman forms, as well as the era's artistic practice of studying and interpreting renowned works like Michelangelo's.

Figure from The Last Judgment, Francesco Bartolozzi

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Artist & collection

Artist

Nicolai Abildgaard

Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard (11 September 1743 – 4 June 1809) was a Danish neoclassical and royal history painter, sculptor, architect, and professor of painting, mythology, and anatomy at the New Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen…