Pope Paul III supported Michelangelo’s completion of The Last Judgment after Clement VII died. Paul III became pope in 1534 and advanced the altar-wall project that Clement had initiated.
Michelangelo began painting the fresco in 1536 and completed it in 1541. Paul III’s role is why the work is frequently associated with both Clement VII and Paul III: Clement commissioned it, while Paul III ensured that the commission proceeded.
Paul III also appears in the broader history of the Vatican’s artistic patronage. His papacy supported major phases of the rebuilding and decoration of St Peter’s Basilica and other Roman projects. The Sistine Chapel fresco was unveiled during his pontificate.