The Crucifixion of St. Peter

Printmakers were also highly intrigued by Michelangelo’s last paintings, namely, his murals in the Cappella Paolina in the Vatican Palace. The artist worked on the frescoes depicting the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter from 1542-1550. During his work he turned seventy, his health was failing and the demanding painting of the frescoes was taking a toll on him. In terms of their bright colour scheme, the paintings show an affinity with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. By contrast, in composition, which manipulates proportions for the sake of perspective, the frescoes draw on the Last Judgment. The engraving shows the mural painting prior to the Censor’s intervention that ordered the saint’s nudity covered with a piece of drapery.