His presence there makes us suppose that Michael Angelo always contemplated the possibility of his having to paint the Last Judgment upon this wall, although he himself painted the lunettes now covered by the larger composition.

The colour of this fresco is very much darkened by dust and by smoke from the altar candles; and, as it is more within reach than the vault, it has been retouched.

It should be a source of comfort to those who get tired with looking upward at pictures in high places, if they will but remember that their beloved paintings have often been protected from the restorer by their high position.

There is an interesting early copy of this fresco in the Corsini Gallery in Florence, which, though rather crude, gives us a good idea of the light tone of the painting in its early state.
This work was received by artists with enthusiasm, reflected in the pages of Vasari.

They came from all parts to study it; in fact, most of the drawings attributed to Michael Angelo in collections are their studies from it, and not his studies for it, as they are called.