The Last Judgement (detail)

A detail of Michelangelo's Last Judgment, showing the underworld. Charon chases the damned from his boat into Hell, where Minos (with snake) is waiting, ready to judge them.

Charon and Minos are figures from Greek mythology and from Inferno, the first part of Dante Alighieri's Divina Commedia.

According to the author Vasari the head of Minos is a portrait of the papal master of ceremonies. While the work was still in progress, this man complained about the amount of nudity in it. Michelangelo may have cast him as King of the Underworld for spite.

This picture was taken before the latest cleaning operation.