La Cappella Sistina

…specifically, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

When visiting Rome, an absolute “must do” item is to visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel.

I had the good fortune to go twice recently! Suggestion: bring your Rosary & sit in a corner while saying it! Tourists are flooding through, but the chapel is primarily a place of worship. I was there late both days and the attendants allowed people to sit at the wall of the chapel without being disturbed.

*Possible view of Sistine Chapel pre-Michelangelo*

Lower Levels

Raphael had designed a set of tapestries for the lower levels (lower arrowhead); the middle level contain frescoes of the Life of Christ and the Life of Moses by various artists (middle arrowhead); the upper level of the wall is covered with images of the first 32 popes (upper arrowhead.)

For reference, Pope Francis is the 266# pope (or possibly 267#, depending on whether you count Stephen II who died after election, but before consecration.)

Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling which was blue and covered in stars at the time.

Julius II wanted a depiction of the 12 Apostles but after discussions—probably arguments!—Michaelangelo got ‘carte blanche’ in his design for the ceiling. Both men have the reputation of being volatile!

The Ceiling

Michelangelo’s design is a remarkable representation of the Old Testament with nine central images taken from Genesis. Michelangelo also depicted many other characters, prophets and Biblical events in ancient Israel in the periphery of the ceiling.

Michelangelo had extensive training in anatomy through surgical examination of cadavers. This shows in the perfection of the human form in his art, both in sculpture and these frescoes. It appears he put in many hidden anatomic images in his work also (such as the brain, brain-stem, kidney, etc.)