The Preaching of the Antichrist

The Preaching of the Antichrist (Italian: La predicazione dell'Anticristo) is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance painter Luca Signorelli. It is one of the scenes of what is considered his masterpiece, the cycle of frescoes with apocalyptic themes that decorate the Chapel of San Brizio in Orvieto Cathedral (1499–1504). Michelangelo was inspired for his The Last Judgment by observing Signorelli's frescoes in Orvieto.

The Preaching of the Antichrist
Italian: La predicazione dell'Anticristo
ArtistLuca Signorelli
Year1500–1504
TypeFresco
Dimensions13.7 m × 12 m (539.3 in × 472.4 in)
LocationOrvieto Cathedral

In this scene the Antichrist is represented preaching in a way analogous to how the sermons of Christ used to be represented. But it is appreciated that it is the devil who whispers what he has to tell. Instead of rays of golden light, they are blood red in color at the point where the Archangel Michael is heading towards Earth to fight the Antichrist.

This scene is particularly interesting because of the two dark-clad gentlemen in the lower left corner, apparently a self-portrait of the blond man looking straight ahead, while the man to his right could be Fra Angelico.

References
  • Rynck, Patrick de: Luca Signorelli, "El sermón y las obras del Anticristo", pp. 102–103 in Cómo leer la pintura, 2005, Grupo Editorial Random House Mondadori, S.L., ISBN 84-8156-388-9
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