Thursday, February 25, 2010

What images did Michelangelo paint on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

I have to write an essay on Michelangelo and I need to know what he painted on the cieling...What images did Michelangelo paint on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
Nine scenes from Genesis in the center section.





1. The Separation of Light and Darkness


2. The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Earth


3. The Separation of Land and Water


4. The Creation of Adam


5. The Creation of Eve


6. The Temptation and Expulsion


7. The Sacrifice of Noah


8. The Great Flood


9. The Drunkenness of Noah





10 Shields representing:





Abraham about to sacrifice his son Isaac


The Destruction of the Statue of Baal


The worshippers of Baal being brutally slaughtered.


Uriah being beaten to death.


Nathan the priest condemning King David for murder and corruption.


King David's traitorous son Absalom caught by his hair in a tree while trying to escape and beheaded by David's troops.


Abner sneaking up on Joab to murder him


Joram being hurled from a chariot onto his head.


Elijah being carried up to Heaven


On one medalion the subject is either obliterated or incomplete.





12 Prophetic figures on the ';pendatives';





Jonah (IONAS) - above the altar


Jeremiah (HIEREMIAS)


Persian Sibyl (PERSICHA)


Ezekiel (EZECHIEL)


Erythraean Sibyl. (ERITHRAEA)


Joel (IOEL)


Zechariah (ZACHERIAS) - above the main door of the chapel


Delphic Sibyl. (DELPHICA)


Isaiah (ESAIAS)


Cumaean Sibyl. (CVMAEA)


Daniel (DANIEL)


Libyan Sibyl (LIBICA)





Seven Prophets


The seven prophets of Israel chosen for depiction on the ceiling include the four so-called Major Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Of the remaining twelve possibilities among the Minor Prophets, the three represented are Joel, Zechariah and Jonah.





Five Sibyls


The sibyls were prophetic women who were resident at shrines or temples throughout the Classical World. The five depicted here are each said to have prophesied the birth of Christ. The Cumaean Sibyl, for example, is quoted by Virgil as declaring that ';a new progeny of Heaven'; would bring about a return of the ';Golden Age';. This was interpreted as referring to Jesus.





Images: http://www.christusrex.org/www1/sistine/鈥?/a>


Vatican Online: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_鈥?/a>

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