Sistine Chapel Vatican
Michelangelo covered the ceiling with images born by his imagination; in his dreams Michelangelo creates his own Titanic world that fills human soul at the same time with admiration and confusion. The goal Michelangelo set before himself was to outdo the nature and make man a titan.
“The Deluge” was the first composition the artist painted on the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling. In it one can find all the traces of difficulties Michelangelo experienced when he for the first time in his life began to work with frescoes. It is known that in the very beginning of his work he had to use the help of masters-frescoers who were specially called from Florence. But soon he obtained technique of wall painting, so that he was no longer satisfied with the work of his helpers, and remained alone with a huge ceiling only in four years to impress the world with the titanic might and beauty of his images. In such a short period of time Michelangelo painted the ceiling with a square of almost 600 sq m (231.6 mi sq mi) having painted 343 figures on it.
It is interesting to note that “the Deluge’s” main idea was not the world catastrophe, as it may seem at first, but depiction of man with all his strong and weak points. He is depicted in a fruitless struggle with death that befalls upon him as a pouring rain from the clouded sky. The entire earth is filled with water and only the tips of mountains like small islands can be seen through the boundless ocean.
Tormented and overwhelmed with terror, people are climbing to the top of one of these islands carrying their belongings in hope of salvation. Among them are men, women and children. Here a bridegroom is carrying his frightened bride in his hands; mother holding a baby in her hands is trying to hide him from the raging nature; beside it a youth who lost his mind because of fear in an attempt to survive is climbing a tree tossed by the wind. Among the boundless sea of water deranged and ferocious humans are fighting for a place in an already overcrowded boat.
To the right a group of refugees on a rock are trying to hide themselves from the pouring rain under a big piece of canvas. People in this group all react to what is happening in a different way. Husband and wife look at the water reaching their feet with humility; a youth leaning on a little barrow forgot himself in wine; an old man and a woman hold out their hands to help a man carrying on his shoulders the body of his lifeless son.
In the distance an ark is seen; people deranged because of fear knock on it with their fists asking to let them in.
Michelangelo depicts all these people in the face of nearing death showing their behavior depending on their soul’s strength and characteristics. This fresco leaves sense of hopelessness and helplessness; yet a viewer still cherishes a small hope the people in desperate situation will be saved. Further is the “Creation of Adam” fresco –– one of the best compositions of the entire collection; “Separation of light from darkness,” in which Jehovah of Hosts struggles against Chaos; Michelangelo shows God with his own creative passion.
What was the purpose of the titan of the Renaissance era creating these pictures? Several researchers believe that this is a new interpretation of the Bible; others see in Michelangelo’s images a new realization of Dante’s Divine Comedy; yet others find in them a picturesque poem about man’s ascending from position of an animal (“Intoxication of Noah” fresco) to divine perfection. All of this is correct but these interpretations taken separately do not exhaust the content of the famous Sistine Chapel frescos.
After Pope Adrian VI’s death (1523) a descendant of the Medici family Clement VI was chosen Pope; he wished Michelangelo would paint the altar wall of the Sistine chapel with the picture of the “Last Judgment” anew. In 1534, almost 25 years after completion of the painting of the Sistine plafond the sculptor moved to Rome and embarked on working on one of the most grandiose frescos of the world’s art history.
The artist interprets the scene of the “Last Judgment” as a universal human catastrophe. In this huge by its scale and grandiose by its purpose fresco there are no images of enthusiastic power like those drawn on the plafond of the Sistine Chapel. If before Michelangelo’s art was permeated with faith in man, the faith that he is the creator of his own fate, now while painting the altar wall the artist depicts man helpless in the face of fate.
The figure of Jesus Christ is the center of the composition –– the only one stable and not yielding to the whirlwind of the movements of the characters. The face of Christ is inscrutable, while a punishing gesture of his hand contains so much energy and might that it was interpreted solely as a gesture of avenge.
In the menacing glances of the apostles crowded around Christ with instruments of torture in their hands a demand of avenge and punishment of sinners is also expressed.
“Last Judgment” by Michelangelo stirred up fierce arguments both among his supporters and adversaries. When the artist was still alive the Pope ordered the nude bodies be draped, and in 1596 another Pope (Clement VIII) wanted to beat down the entire “Last Judgment.” Only intercession of artists from the Roman Academy of Saint Luke convinced the Pope not to do this barbarian act. Centuries went by, the names of cursers and enemies of Great Buonarroti got forgotten, while his incorruptible frescos remain for eternity.
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