Bassano’s Last Judgment

The Last Judgment, by Leandro Bassano 16th snow Venetian Artist, religious painting of Christ Finished in 1596, currently residing in the National Museum of westward Art Tokyo, Japan (Ueno). Visited on 11/2/09 from 1015-1130 Bassanos The Last Judgment Painted by Leandro Bassano, a 16th century Venetian artist, The Last Judgment is a stunning work of scared art that takes ones breath away upon first sight. Finished in 1596, the oil painting stands 73 x 51 cm tall and currently re sides in the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, Japan.Visiting this maculation on a Monday, I had the pleasure of seeing it mostly to myself. Most people walking by stopped to take a brief numerate at the well lit painting and I couldnt help only if wonder if they were Christian or non and whether or not the eyepatch would have had a bigger impact if they were. At first glance it was pretty easy for me to see this pieces relationship to Christianity and the event that it depicts. The painting, to me, appears in 3 sections the central and most eye drawing section on top, the eye section, and the bottom section.The top section depicts Jesus of Nazareth basked in a gleam set about holding a white flag of salvation while a man, most likely his father God, floats above him. He is surrounded by angels and pure followers of Christ at, what the title suggests, is the last judgment. This section is the b officeest and most eye catching fork of the painting due to the well played severalise colors surrounding it. All other parts following this are duller and darker in color and really help to create a glowing light in the darkness effect for this top portion.The middle section, duller in tone to its predecessor, appears in two parts. The left side portrays people of the church while the right side shows commoners. I felt this section depicted those who were neither tainted nor completely pure those who were almost in reach of salvation but who could til now still fall. I though t this section, although smallest in portrayal, represented the largest portion of the Christian community as we are often on the path to salvation but can still easily sway.This middle section was what I believed to be the middle way. As it appears, the top portion of the painting conveys salvation and Christ, while the middle section depicts the church and the people, so all that remains are those in redemption and those who are already damned. This is the bottom and darkest part of the piece. On the left side sits those who can still be saved the image of angels helping men stand up covey great feelings of regret and redemption.The right side of the section, the darkest and grimmest part of the painting, depicts devils and demons carrying and torturing the tainted and damned. When I first saw The Last Judgment I was curious as to why the brightest piece was on top and not dead center as it was what drew my eye first and foremost however a quick look at the other sections of the p ainting quickly draws one to the conclusion of an order with heaven on top, earth in the middle, and hell down below.The colors and style of the painting resemble that of other conversion pieces surrounding it and really does well in drawing one back in time giving the viewer a wonderful feel of the Christian religion. Overall this was an amazing piece depicting a holy and scared event in the Christian religion. The Last Judgment, by Leandro Bassano 16th century Venetian Artist, religious painting of Christ Finished in 1596, currently residing in the National Museum of Western Art Tokyo, Japan (Ueno). Visited on 11/2/09 from 1015-1130