The Last Judgement (Sistine Chapel).

Engraving, 57 x 44 cm, laid paper, signed in plate at the lower right margin "Julius Bonasonius Bonori e propria Michaelis Angeli pictura quae est in Vaticano nigro lapillo excepit in as sq incidit cum privilegio summi pontificis" (trimmed to the borderline, sl. toned, laid down on cardb. mount, some old crease).

One of the earliest engraved reproduction after Michelangelo's masterpiece. Bonasone primarily wanted to describe the overall composition of the work and simplified Michelangelo's figures, conveying their shapes and poses without regard to anatomical structure. This is one of the works about which Lampsonius was later to express a very negative opinion. In his view the print did no justice at all to Michelangelo's painting. It was one of the engravings that particularly stimulated him into proposing that Cort be given the task of engraving all the works of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. Acceptable copy of the 2nd state (of 2), with privilege of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese.
Ref. Bartsch XV:80. - B. Barnes, "Michelangelo's Last Judgement, the Renaissance Response", Berkeley and London, 1998, pp. 71-101. - Michael Bury, "The Print in Italy 1550-1620", London 2001, no. 93.