Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Volta della cappella sistina painted by michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 is a cornerstone work of high renaissance art the ceiling is that of the sistine chapel the large papal chapel built within the vatican between 1477 and 1480 by pope sixtus iv for whom the chapel is named it was painted at the commission of pope julius ii.

Sistine chapel ceiling. Michelangelo detail the deluge ceiling of the sistine chapel fresco 1508 1512 vatican city rome in this fresco michelangelo has used the physical space of the water and the sky to separate four distinct parts of the narrative. The complex design includes several sets of individual figures both clothed and nude which allowed michelangelo to fully demonstrate his skill in creating a huge variety. Sistine chapel ceiling by michelangelo.

The contract was signed in may 1508 ce with the commission being to replace the current sistine chapel ceiling which had a painted blue sky and stars. The sistine chapel is one of the most famous painted interior spaces in the world and virtually all of this fame comes from the breathtaking painting of its ceiling from about 1508 1512. The sistine chapel ceiling italian.

The chapel was built in 1479 under the direction of pope sixtus iv who gave it his name sistine derives from sixtus. It already contained distinguished wall paintings and michelangelo was asked to add works for the relatively unimportant ceiling. The sistine chapel ceiling painted by michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 is one of the most renowned artworks of the high renaissance.

Central to the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the book of genesis of which the creation of adam is the best known the hands of god and adam being reproduced in countless imitations. On the right side of the painting a cluster of people seeks sanctuary from the rain under a makeshift shelter. The way to salvation is clear man has only to choose.

Instead the project was now to paint figures of the 12 apostles at the sides of the ceiling and fill in the interior with architectural motifs. The first section still contains sharp discrepancies in scale between the large figures outside the central scenes and the smaller figures that crowd within them.