For centuries, the Sistine Chapel has been the Pope’s personal chapel, though I don’t know when he gets time to use it, what with 20,000 visitors tromping through it each day. The dimensions of this chapel are the same as for the Temple of Solomon. As it is the Pope’s chapel, he is the only one with permission to speak inside, but there were a lot of rule breakers. Entering the chapel was like entering a beehive, the buzzes punctuated by “shhhh” from irritated Swiss guards and eventually a pre-recorded reminder to shut it. The room is decorated with some of the most contemplative of all Christian art, but it was difficult to focus on the masterpieces with the mass of people around us. Here is where the new St. Peter, leader of the Christian world is chosen, and the chapel was not getting the respect it deserved. The words spoken were so trivial; “wow”, “can you believe that?” These were not emergencies or profound revelations. Whether or not you believe, when confronted with a culture’s sacred artifacts, try to show some respect.
Even though we were distracted occasionally by the noisy blob (not mob, this was more fluid), the walls and ceiling were still arresting. Our tour guide gave us 15 minutes to explore the area, and it passed in the blink of an eye. I would love to go back and try to schedule a more private tour or visit at night. In the meantime, I’ll content myself with the Vatican’s virtual tour. The chapel is empty and captured in perfect light. The site also plays some lovely, meditative music for enjoying the art.
There are several rumors about how Michelangelo came to paint the ceiling, though one element remains the same throughout: he did not want the job. Some say Pope Julius II bribed Michelangelo with future sculpture work. Others say the Pope threatened the sculptor. Somehow the Pope managed to convince Michelangelo to temporarily abandon his chosen medium, and paint frescoes on the ceiling. But why Michelangelo? Why ask a brilliant sculptor to paint? Rumors and theories abound here as well. One has Raphael convincing the Pope to pick Michelangelo so that he, Raphael would appear superior; if this is true, the plan backfired. Another has Bramante convincing the Pope, hoping to get Michelangelo out of the way and taking all the sculpting and architectural work for himself. This plan backfired too, as Michelangelo became the head architect for the new St. Peter’s project, and he outlived both Bramante and Raphael.
When Michelangelo consented to paint the ceiling, it was on the condition that he would receive the freedom to execute his vision. The Pope wanted the 12 apostles, but Michelangelo gave him so much more. The painting displays the entire Christian history from creation until the time of Christ. In the large panels in the middle of the ceiling, Michelangelo painted from creation to Noah. In the triangles are Christ’s ancestors, presumably from Noah to Mary. Framing the 9 center panels are the prophets, both religious and pagan, who predicted the arrival of Christ.
 |
| This image is the exclusive copyright of the Vatican Museums, it is not mine. This came from a screenshot of the virtual tour, available here. The right side was painted after the left side. Creation has fewer figures than the Flood. Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Michelangelo Vatican Museums |
 |
| This image is the exclusive copyright of the Vatican Museums, it is not mine. This came from a screenshot of the virtual tour, available here. Some have said that the red background around God is an anatomically correct heart. Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Michelangelo Vatican Museums |
 |
| This image is the exclusive copyright of the Vatican Museums, it is not mine. This came from a screenshot of the virtual tour, available here. God's backside, as in Exodus, Chapter 33, Verse 23 Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Michelangelo Vatican Museums |
Another non-quirk of Michelangelo’s is his use of color. For years people thought Michelangelo focused mainly on the structure of the figures and not on colors. These conclusions were drawn from the body of evidence on the ceiling and walls in the Sistine Chapel. In 1999, after 20 years of restoration, Pope John Paul II celebrated the “new” Sistine Chapel. The restoration unveiled bright, rich colors, forcing scholars to reevaluate their knowledge of Michelangelo the painter.
Since the restoration, the Vatican has come under fire for allowing so many visitors each day. The critics claim the dust tracked in by the tourists as well as the humidity and the carbon dioxide from their breath are putting the masterpieces in danger. The Vatican has an elaborate plan for the future: vacuuming and chilling tourists before they enter the sacred chapel.
***Disclaimer***Pictures are forbidden in the Sistine Chapel. These pictures are not mine. All pictures displayed in this post are screenshots from the virtual tour available here on the Vatican's website. The Vatican Museum has exclusive copyright to these images, and I only included them here for demonstration purposes. Clicking on the images will take you to the virtual tour.
Useful Links!
Virtual Tour of the Sistine Chapel, courtesy of the Vatican Museums
Online Booking for the Vatican Museums
Book a night visit to the Vatican Museums
Exodus 33:23, the source of God's back
Article from 1999 commemorating the restoration of the Sistine Chapel
Select image from Sistine Chapel before, during, and after restoration
Article and Images of the brain in God's neck
Article celebrating 500 years of the Sistine Chapel
Vatican Collections Online, description of masterpieces in the Sistine Chapel
Anatomy in Renaissance artwork
More Anatomy in Renaissance Art, from the Met
The future of cleaning visitors to the Chapel
Biography of Michelangelo
No comments:
Post a Comment