Paintings in the Sistine Chapel - Vatican, Rome

1. Paintings in the Sistine Chapel First created 26 Jan 2011. Version 1.1 Jerry Tse. London. All rights reserved. Available free for non-commercial and non-profit use only.

2. Entrance Wall The Entrance Wall collapsed in 1522, destroying the two paintings by Domenici Ghirlandaio and by Luca Signorelli. These painting were replaced at a later date by works on the same subjects by Hendrick van den Broeck and Matteo da Lecce.

3. North Wall On the eye level, the wall is covered by a set of tapestries (not shown above), which are normally covered. The following are paintings on the northern wall by Perugino, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Rosselli. Above the tapestries are two series of paintings – ‘The Life of Moses’ and ‘The Life of Christ’. They complement each other and was commissioned in 1480 during the construction of the building.

4. Perugino & Pinturicchio Baptism shows the deeper spiritual belief of the new religion, Christianity. Sermon of John the Baptist. Christ Preaching. The Baptism of Christ is equivalent to the spiritual circumcision of Judism, depicted on the painting on the opposite wall. Click to advance

5. Botticelli Devil offered Christ riches and power to rule the world. Devil challenged Christ to jump from the roof. Devil challenged Christ to turn stone into bread. A Jewish sacrificial offering scene, with the girl offering a bowl of blood to the priest. This is a hint of the coming crucifixion of Christ, who offer his flesh and blood for the salvation of mankind. Christ met the devil after fasting 40 days in the wilderness, prior to his crucifixion. Click to advance

6. Ghirlandaio A landscape background with a city, with castles and Churches. Christ on the shore with Simon, Peter and Andrew on their fishing boat. Group of influential Florentine who lived in Rome. A group of women, why? A Medici bankers in black standing behind Christ, who sponsored Ghirlandaio. Christ recruits the Apostles. Click to advance

7. Rosselli & Cosimo Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, at which he handed out Christian guidelines The disciples Christ’s healed the leper. Guildlines from Christ. Click to advance

8. Perugino The triumph arch is a reference to Ancient Rome adopted Christianity. Stoning of Christ Perugino Judas The Apostles. The Virgin and the Apostles. The architect Christ handing the key to heaven to St Peter. Christ handed the key to haven to St Peter, who founded the church. This directly connected Christ to the Catholic church. Click to advance

9. Rosselli Christ praying on the mount Crucifixion Christ Arrested Chalice on the table refer to the institution of sacrament. Dancing dog The wine Connecting Catholic practices and rituals to Christ Click to advance

10. South Wall The following are paintings on the southern wall telling of stories of ‘The Life of Christ’ and ‘The Life of Mosses’. Above the row of paintings is a row of portraits of popes. Above the popes are paintings of the Ancestors of Christ (the Lunette). Above them is a row decorative paintings (Spandrel).

11. Signorelli Angel led Moses to the mountain to see the Promise Land before he died. The death of Moses Not quite sure why this group of people were included with a male nude and a pregnant woman. Joshua appointed as Moses successor The Ark of Covenant with two tablet of the laws. Signorelli was a student of Piero della Francesca. Part of the work was painted by Bartolomeo della Gatta. Click to advance

12. Botticelli This holds the key to understand the Sistine Chapel. The message is “Any challenge to the authority of the church will be punished by God.” The painting depicts three episodes in the rebellion against God’s chosen Moses and Aaron. Aaron, the high priest attacked by mob, raised his incense burner, as rebels staggered and fell. Innocents protected by standing on clouds Rebellious mob threatened to stone Moses, with Joshua protecting them. Moses called God to punish the rebels, as they were swallowed by the Earth. Click to advance

13. Rosselli & Cosimo Moses received the Ten Commandments. Moses received the Ten Commandments. Idol worshipers put to death. Moses showed the Ten Commandments to his people. Israelites worshiped the Golden Calf idol. Moses smashed the Ten commandments in anger. Jewish laws from God. Click to advance

14. Rosselli Moses asked the pharaoh to release the Jews. The Jews safely crossed the Red Sea with a miracle of God Moses with staff in hand The Egyptian army chasing the Jews were drown by the Red Sea Prophetess Miriam Non-believers drown in pursuit of God’s chosen people. Click to advance

15. Botticelli God appeared in the burning bush. Moses fled. Moses dispersed the shepherds, who stopped the daughters of Jethro using the well. Moses followed God commands and led Israeli out of Egypt. Moses attacked his Egyptian overseer. 7 episodes in the life of Moses. Click to advance

16. Perugino & Pinturicchio Landscape painted by Pinturicchio Journey to Egypt after exile. Angel tells Moses to circumcise his son. Circumcision Circumcision is a reference to the older Jewish religion. Click to advance

17. Automatic advance Completed in 1483, based on the dimension of the Temple of Solomon in Holy land.

18. Ceiling At the centre of the ceiling is a row of nine paintings from the Book of Genesis. Originally, Michelangelo turn down the commission. He saw himself as a sculptor and not a painter. The work on the ceiling was started in 1508. It took 4 years to complete. It took its toll on Michelangelo working on his back. He also refused a team of assistants to help with the paintings. After he finished the work, he hardly painting anything until 24 years later when he started on the Last Judgment.

19. This is one of the four larger paintings on the centre of the ceiling. The painting is comprised of two scenes with God appears twice. With splendid foreshortening, Michelangelo succeeded created the illusion of God floating in the air.

20. God gives the life to Adam, at that moment man was created. Adam appears to be without energy. He barely able to raise his arm. God on the contrary is the source of energy. God was surrounded by characters, to form a shape that some interpreted as reassembling a human brain or a uterus.

21. Again the painting is divided into two scenes – temptation and expulsion with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the middle.

22. A rather muscular Eve.

23. Michelangelo repainted some of the scene, as he was unhappy about the work of his assistance.

29. Ignudi At the corner of the paintings on the ceilings are the Ignudi (The Nude). They are beautifully painted with animated posture. This one is unusual in that the head seems to be just stuck on the body, with a face of a female.

30. Sibyls Sibyl is the Greek word meaning prophetess from the antiquity. They are only known through legends. Delphic Sibyl, 1509.

31. Delphic Sibyl, 1509.

32. Persian Sibyl, 1511. Erythraean Sibyl, 1509.

33. Libyan Sibyl, 1509. Cumaean Sibyl, 1510.

34. Prophets Amongst the sybils are the prophets from the Bible, who foretold the coming of Christ. Prophet Jonah, 1511.

35. Prophet Zechariah, 1508-09. Prophet Jeremiah, 1511.

36. Prophet Joel, 1509. Prophet Ezekiel, 1510.

37. Prophet Isaiah, 1509. Prophet Daniel, 1511.

38. Ancestors of Christ This is just of eight panels of the Ancestors of Christ. Each of one is made up of the bronze ignudi at the top, with figures painted on the spandrel and below are the ancestors of Christ painted on the lunette.

39. The Pendentives On the four corners of the ceiling are paintings on the pendentives. This one tells the story of Judith and Holofernes, whose head was cut off by the Jewish heroine. Holofernes was sent by the Assyrian king Nebuchadnezzar to punish the rebellious Israelites by destroying their city Bethulia.

40. Altar Wall The wall is dominated by single painting. The ‘Last Judgment’ painted by Michelangelo. It was painted some 24 years later, in 1535 and it took about 6 years to complete. The painting is largely inspire by a Latin hymn and Dante’s Inferno. It some 400 figures are on the painting. The painting is divided into several scenes or zones and organised into four tiers. At the top is instrument of Passion, below is Christ the judge, surrounded by groups of the Blessed. Below the trumpets of the Last Judgment. On the left the righteous rise toward the heaven and the damned being driven into the Underworld.

41. Last Judgement The Last Judgement is Michelangelo’s best painting. He started when his was in his mid-fifties. He chose a multi-view point composition. The appearance of the demons of the Underworld shows his imagination was powerful as he ever been. The ascend of the Blessed and the driving of the Damned into the Underworld is as good as his paintings on the ceiling. He had never lost his sense of drama in telling the story. The painting is full of energy, vitality and movements. It is almost an animation. if Michelangelo is alive today, I think he would be an animator.

44. The Blessed. Christ & the Virgin St John the Baptist

45. Christ the Judge.

46. St Peter with keys St Lawrence with his skin St Catherine St Sebastian The skin is a self-portrait of Michelangelo

50. Is this a self portrait of Michelangelo?