Michelangelos Sistine Chapel Ceiling - Essay Example

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling In this paper, the Sistine Chapel Ceiling is the artwork to be discussed. It is in the form of a huge fresco crafted by Michelangelo. It stretches across the main ceiling of the large Sistine Chapel. The work is generally titled as Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling. It was constructed in the years from 1508 to 1512. It involves minor sculptures, but it is predominantly a fresco. The Chapel is located in present-day Vatican City. (Hersey 1993) This work of Michelangelo is attributed to High Renaissance art.

The artwork reflects the contemporary artistic culture related to drawing mythological characters as detailed human figures. Although the topic of the artwork is related to theology and a number of legends, lots of human figures have been crafted with an artistic realist view. Apart from changing artistic practices, the zeal of Christianity can be noted throughout the work. The primary urge on the part of the patron of this artwork was to show the greatness and intellectual treasure of Christianity.

Contemporary leader of Christians, Pope Julius II, patronised this great work. “Julius II approached Michelangelo with a plan to paint the twelve apostles on the Sistine Chapel ceiling” (Di Cagno 2008:38). Pope Julius II was not only spiritually motivated but also he exercised considerable political influence. His basic idea of the theme played an important role in Michelangelo’s visualisation. The project was based on fresco, which was a contemporary complex form of painting. Frescos sometimes required carving and minor sculptures as well.

Although the medium was thus a very challenging one, Michelangelo was a versatile genius. He was well acquainted with designing and crafting frescos and he was an expert in this field (The Hero as Artist 1969). However, the main complexities in this project involved altitude and complexity of the subject itself. In order to complement the twelve apostles to be painted across the ceiling, Michelangelo had to create over 300 figures. “The rectangular panels in the centre depict episodes from the book of Genesis.

They are surrounded by prophets and other biblical figures” (Di Cagno 2008:38). What is more, the ceiling was at a height of approximately 68 feet from the floor. The surface of the ceiling was considerably curved (Di Cagno 2008; The Hero as Artist 1969). So Michelangelo might have wondered that how exactly his painting was going to be viewed and understood from below. Now on a curved surface, any proportional two dimensional representations would probably look awkward. For example, if a human figure is made across a curved surface, then some of its portions would emerge nearer to the viewer creating disproportions.

Michelangelo apprehended this enormous challenge of visual illusions even before he actually began the work. Consequently, Michelangelo started to create disproportional human figures. For example, if the middle portion of a human figure was to be created across the distal concave part of the ceiling, Michelangelo magnified it. Such figures would appear to be inflated here and there in a plane, two dimensional piece of paper. But the curved ceiling was apt for enormous visual illusions overhead the viewer standing on the floor.

Consequently, all the mythological figures, angels, and apostles would look okay from below. In this way, Michelangelo successfully overcame the challenge of creating frescoes over a curved surface at a fairly high altitude. The subject of Sistine Chapel Ceiling has been heroic in every aspect. For example, the creation of Adam by God clearly depicts a super heroic action (Kleiner 2012). The length, breadth, and extent of the work is heroic in itself, as narrated by Clark in the documentary The Hero as Artist (1969).

Michelangelo completed this work successfully, and his efforts were illustrious with respect to the contemporary systems and tools.ReferencesDi Cagno, G. (2008). Michelangelo. Minneapolis: The Oliver PressHersey, G.L. (1993). High Renaissance Art in St. Peter’s and the Vatican: An Interpretive Guide. Chicago: Chicago University PressKleiner, F. (2012). Gardner’s Art though the Ages. Scarborough: CengageThe Hero as Artist [Documentary Film] (1969). London and Vatican City: BBC