English 113

Western Humanities
O’Dea

Notes on Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Fresco Paintings

Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564)
Painted: 1508–12 (ceiling); 1534–41 (Last Judgment wall fresco)
Medium: Fresco painting (in plaster)
Images on the Internet: http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~mcogan/Humanities/Sistine/index.html

Michelangelo
Perhaps the quintessential high renaissance artist; thought of himself as a sculptor (e.g., David),
but equally adept at painting (Sistine Chapel), architecture (Dome of St. Peter’s, Rome), and
poetry.

Born in Caprese, near Florence—spent his life primarily in Florence and Rome, but remained a
fervent Florentine nationalist; a Tuscan (like Virgil, Dante).

A fiercely independent and individual artist, Micheangelo is often described as “a whirlwind in

repose,” a figure of paradoxes:
• Christian piety vs. attachment to pagan artistic ideals
• Florentine patriotism vs. working for Popes often anti-Florentine
• Passionate emotionalism vs. intense, scholarly intellectuality

The Story of the Sistine Chapel

By the beginning of the 16th century, Michelangelo had undertaken and completed several
contracts for Pope Julius II—indeed, M. often felt himself being drawn into a slavish relationship
with the Vatican, who insisted on his services for sculptures of bronze and marble, paintings, and
the like.

In 1508, M. was requested to fresco the vault of the Sistine chapel—not his kind of thing, but
nevertheless a work he resolved would surpass all other achievements in fresco art. Except for
help with the plastering itself and some incidental decorative marginalia, Michelangelo himself
covered the entire barrel-shaped vault (128 feet long, 45 feet wide, 12,916 square feet, 68 feet
above the chapel floor).

The work on the ceiling vault was completed in 1512. For four years M. worked on special
arched scaffolding, usually standing, craning his neck, sometimes flat on his back some 62 feet
above the floor. He had to work quickly, painting into the wet plaster before it dried, but he
worked only on small portions at a time (giornata = a day’s work). He complained of debilitating
backaches and other discomforts, but dauntlessly carried out his grand plan, to cover the huge
surface with a vast cycle of fresco panels comprehending the story of Genesis up to the flood,
and two episodes from Noah.
Fresco
Basically painting in wet plaster, so that when paint and plaster dry together they form a
chemical bond. The process begins with M.’s small compositional designs, plans and sketches he
would later enlarge and detail in full-size drawings, which he transferred to special paper. On
any given work day, M. ‘s garzoni, or assistants, would move the scaffolding to the day’s
designated area, prepare M.’s pigments, spread the plaster for the giornata, and perhaps lay out a
transfer design.

M would then perforate the figure outlines with a spiked wheel, place the paper against the wet
plaster and “pounce” or gently beat, the outlines with a bag of carbon dust, leaving an outline of
dust on the plaster. The design now transferred to the surface, he could begin the painstaking,
detailed work of applying pigments—fresco painting.

The Sistine ceiling is undoubtedly the greatest pictorial achievement of the high renaissance, not
least because it allowed M. to fully deploy the conceptions of human form and face, that magical
machine of the body, that he’d developed in his sculpture work. Some matters of form:

• >380 larger-than-lifesize figures, mostly nude or partially nude, as a celebration of Man-

as-God, or God-as-Man. Old Testament prophecy vs. Greek nudity
• 9 central panels of alternating size, with pedastals, spandrels, and lunettes
• Colors—grays, olive-greens, sepias, but also bright blues, pastel greens, yellows; in many
ways outrageous color choices for the time, place and purpose. But the color choices
suggest M.’s individualism and a practical device—dim light in that chapel, and figures
had to be recognizably visible from the floor 65 feet below.

Restoration
Over the last 400–500 years, M.’s frescos for the Sistine Chapel have undergone a lot. Dirt,
grime, soot, and (especially in our century) air pollution have dulled and muted M.’s work. The
latest restoration project has been remarkably successful in removing not only the accumulated
gunk, but also much of the censorship. We’ll notice in a few instances the remarkable difference
between the pre- and post-restoration frescos.
The Fresco Ceiling Panels
9 panels, moving in nearly chronological order from The Division of Light and Darkness (over
the altar) to The Drunkenness of Noah (inside the Chapel entrance); the idea is that we move
backwards in time as we approach the altar, and thus closer to God and pre-lapserian purity.

First Triad (Creation of the Universe):

1.. God dividing light from darkness—Although this "history" panel is the first in
"chronological" order from Genesis, this was the last of the history panels to be painted
by Michelangelo. If you compare this panel with the first of the history panels to be
painted ("The Drunkenness of Noah"), you will be startled by the difference in artistic
style between them.
2. Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants: This panel, with the next, is out of
"chronological" order; Genesis has this act of creation following the separation of the
waters from the firmament. This is also one of the "double exposure" panels, showing
two separates acts in a single, unified image.

3. Separation of Waters from the Firmament—God and the holy spirit framed by the sons of
God—angels and divine beings often vaguely alluded to in Genesis.

Second Triad (Adam and Eve):

4.. Creation of Adam—One of the most famous icons of Western art. God here creates
Adam with His divine touch. Check your text from Genesis, and you will reconfirm that
Michelangelo takes substantial liberties with the description of this event. Why?
(Note that Eve puts in an early appearance under God's left arm.)
5. Creation of Eve—from the rib of the sleeping Adam, Eve emerges in a prayerful posture.
6. Original Sin and Expulsion from Eden—interesting extension or doubling of time in one
panel, moving from left (the transgression) to right (the expulsion)

Third Triad (Noah & the Flood):

7. Noah’s Sacrifice—This history panel is out of "chronological" order. Noah's sacrifice, in
Genesis, is a sacrifice of thanksgiving for having been saved from the Flood. Thus, it
should follow the Flood in sequence.
8. Universal Flood—brings to life the horror of the sinning world and its destruction. With
the "Sacrifice of Noah," this history panel is out of "chronological" order. (Noah's
sacrifice follows the Flood in Genesis.)
9. Noah’s Drunkeness—The panel includes two scenes—a third double exposure. At the left
background, Noah is seen planting the vines from which he produced the wine that made
him drunk. The covering of the drunken Noah by his sons is in the foreground. Although
this panel is the last in "chronological order" of the history panels from Genesis, it was
the first of the history panels painted by Michelangelo in his project for the Ceiling. We
can be sure, therefore, that this is the point in the story of Genesis at which he wanted to
stop.