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Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512. Michelangelo designed a unique scaffolding system that allowed him to paint while standing and avoiding lying flat on his back. The ceiling features nine scenes from Genesis surrounded by images of prophets and sibyls, and established Michelangelo as one of the greatest Renaissance masters.

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34 views

Class No

Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512. Michelangelo designed a unique scaffolding system that allowed him to paint while standing and avoiding lying flat on his back. The ceiling features nine scenes from Genesis surrounded by images of prophets and sibyls, and established Michelangelo as one of the greatest Renaissance masters.

Uploaded by

Bianca Bnc
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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6 Assignment
Bince, Bianca Andrea Sir Seth Saga
3 – St. Stephan Pongracz December 1, 2010

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel


Pope Julius II (also
known as Giulio II
and "Il papa terribile"),
requested
that Michelangelo pa
int the chapel ceiling.
Julius was determined
that Rome should be
rebuilt to its former
glory, and had
embarked on a vigorous
campaign to get the job
done. That such
splendor would (a) add
luster to the name of
Julius II and (b) serve to
supercede anything that
Pope Alexander VI (a
Borgia, and Julius' rival) had accomplished, were not unimportant considerations.

Michelangelo didn't lie on his back to paint the ceiling. He


conceived and had constructed a unique scaffolding system. It was
sturdy enough to hold workers and materials, but began high up the
walls of the chapel in order that Mass might still be celebrated below.

The scaffolding curved at its top, mimicking the curvature of the


ceiling's vault. Michelangelo often had to bend backwards and paint
over his head - an awkward position which must've made his neck and
back ache, his arms burn painfully and, according to him, permanently
screwed up his vision. But he wasn't lying flat on his back.

Renaissance master Michelangelo devised an elaborate set of frescoes for the


decoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which he worked on between 1508 and 1512. It
features nine scenes from the Biblical Book of Genesis, including the Creation of Adam,
the Creation of Eve, the Temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Flood. These
centrally located narratives are surrounded by images of prophets and sibyls on marble
thrones, and by other Biblical subjects.

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