Michelangelo’s Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Sistine Chapel

CeilingCeiling

““No one who has not seen the Sistine No one who has not seen the Sistine ceiling can have a clear idea of what a ceiling can have a clear idea of what a human being can achieve.” human being can achieve.” (Goethe)(Goethe)

The Sistine The Sistine ChapelChapel

La Capella La Capella SistinaSistina EXTERIOREXTERIOR

Chapel decoration Chapel decoration was started by was started by Pope Sixtus in Pope Sixtus in 14731473

Ceiling had been Ceiling had been frescoed earlier frescoed earlier with a star-with a star-spangled sky In spangled sky In 1508 1508 Michelangelo was Michelangelo was commissioned by commissioned by Pope Julius II Pope Julius II della Rovere to della Rovere to repaint the ceiling repaint the ceiling of the Sistine of the Sistine Chapel Chapel

..

The Sistine The Sistine ChapelChapel

The ceiling was The ceiling was completed in 1512 completed in 1512 when M was 37.when M was 37.

From this time From this time onwards, Vasari onwards, Vasari writes he was writes he was referred to as “Il referred to as “Il Divino”Divino”

He returned and He returned and painted the painted the Last Last JudgementJudgement over the over the altar, between 1535 altar, between 1535 and 1541on request of and 1541on request of Pope Paul III Farnese. Pope Paul III Farnese.

The ceiling is 40m The ceiling is 40m long and shaped like a long and shaped like a barrelbarrel

Influences on Influences on MichelangeloMichelangelo As a young man in Florence As a young man in Florence

studying painting, M sketched studying painting, M sketched the work of Masaccio and the work of Masaccio and Giotto.Giotto.

He spent a lot of time in the He spent a lot of time in the Brancacci ChapelBrancacci Chapel

He admired He admired Giotto’sGiotto’s weighty weighty 3D forms, 3D forms, Masaccio’sMasaccio’s use of use of drapery and sculptural forms of drapery and sculptural forms of his figures. his figures.

When sketching them he tended When sketching them he tended to to add to the massivenessadd to the massiveness of of the figures and the figures and define the define the draperydrapery more strongly. more strongly.

Can you recognise which Can you recognise which character and which work character and which work Michelangelo is copying Michelangelo is copying here?here?

Right Right hand wall hand wall showing showing Perugino’Perugino’s s Christ Christ Giving Giving the Keys the Keys to St. to St. PeterPeter

Facts and FiguresFacts and Figures

Can you match these stats to these Can you match these stats to these numbers?numbers?300300 1990 1990 1512 5201512 520

Number of days it took to paint the Number of days it took to paint the Sistine ceiling?Sistine ceiling?

Approximate number of figures on Approximate number of figures on the ceiling?the ceiling?

Area of the ceiling in sq metres?Area of the ceiling in sq metres? Decade that the ceiling restoration Decade that the ceiling restoration

was completed?was completed?

AnswersAnswers It took 4 years and 5 months (It took 4 years and 5 months (1512 days1512 days) to ) to

paint the ceiling. Although he had some paint the ceiling. Although he had some assistants mixing paint etc, Michelangelo was assistants mixing paint etc, Michelangelo was such a perfectionist he did most of the work such a perfectionist he did most of the work himself.himself.

There are There are over 300 figuresover 300 figures on the ceilingon the ceiling The ceiling is 40m x 14 m long (The ceiling is 40m x 14 m long (520m 2520m 2) (~ 2 ) (~ 2

½ tennis courts) and the height of a 3 storey ½ tennis courts) and the height of a 3 storey building.building.

Restoration of the ceiling started in the 80s Restoration of the ceiling started in the 80s and finished in the and finished in the 1990s1990s. Restorers used . Restorers used pure water and chemicals to clean away pure water and chemicals to clean away centuries of smoke and grime and reveal the centuries of smoke and grime and reveal the true colours used by Michelangelo.true colours used by Michelangelo.

The Pope v the artistThe Pope v the artist Michelangelo’s relationship with Pope Michelangelo’s relationship with Pope

Julius II was Julius II was stormy.stormy. He initially refused to He initially refused to paint the ceiling, saying he was a sculptor. paint the ceiling, saying he was a sculptor.

Julius II was very Julius II was very ambitiousambitious, a , a warrior warrior popepope who had led armies in battle. He was who had led armies in battle. He was impatient with those who worked for him.impatient with those who worked for him.

He often visited the Sistine Chapel, He often visited the Sistine Chapel, climbing the scaffolding to see how the climbing the scaffolding to see how the work was goingwork was going

He constantly asked He constantly asked Michelangelo how soonMichelangelo how soonit would be completedit would be completed

A dangerous jobA dangerous job Michelangelo painted the ceiling Michelangelo painted the ceiling

using traditional using traditional fresco techniquefresco technique Extremely Extremely difficult and difficult and

dangerousdangerous given the size of the given the size of the ceiling and its height.ceiling and its height.

Scaffolding was Scaffolding was 16m16m above floor. above floor. Michelangelo had to bend over Michelangelo had to bend over

backwards and backwards and paint above his paint above his headhead

He invented a He invented a stoolstool that he leaned that he leaned on/rested his head on.on/rested his head on.

Paint splattered his facePaint splattered his face all day all day long and by evening his body was long and by evening his body was so cramped he could only read so cramped he could only read letters from his family by holding letters from his family by holding them above his head.them above his head.

The Decorative SchemeThe Decorative Scheme The CEILING is Divided into 3 The CEILING is Divided into 3

zones. zones. The lowest zoneThe lowest zone: shows the : shows the

ancestors of Christancestors of Christ – 40 – 40 generations worth, as described in generations worth, as described in Genesis.Genesis.

The middle zoneThe middle zone consists of consists of Old Old Testament prophets and pagan Testament prophets and pagan sibyls [prophetesses]. Both sibyls [prophetesses]. Both “have knowledge of the Divine “have knowledge of the Divine and mediate between man and and mediate between man and GodGod" (Fleming 192). Biblical AND " (Fleming 192). Biblical AND Classical.Classical.

The center of the ceilingThe center of the ceiling depicts depicts the story of the creation of the the story of the creation of the world and man’s relation to world and man’s relation to God. 9 scenes taken from God. 9 scenes taken from Genesis.Genesis. Begins with creation and Begins with creation and ends with the Last Judgement. ends with the Last Judgement.

Diagram shows layout of the Diagram shows layout of the WALLS.WALLS.

Layout of each band of the Layout of each band of the ceilingceiling

Prophets / Sibyls on the outsideProphets / Sibyls on the outside Ignudi, medallionsIgnudi, medallions Scene from Genesis in the central Scene from Genesis in the central

The restoration process revealed The restoration process revealed surprising bright colours to Art surprising bright colours to Art

HistoriansHistorians