The Creation of Man is part of Michelangelo's contribution to the Sistine Chapel.
The Vatican is celebrating the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel
For 500 years, God has been reaching down from Heaven to touch Adam’s finger as the centerpiece of the Sistine Chapel.
To mark the anniversary of Michelangelo’s most famous and
iconic work, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Vespers in the chapel last night.
In his address, the pope said that reflecting on the frescoes during services makes them more beautiful, more authentic and they “reveal all of their beauty.”
“It is as if during the liturgy, all of this symphony of figures come to life, certainly in a spiritual sense, but inseparably also aesthetically," the pope said, according to national news reports.
After five centuries, the chapel has become a pilgrimage for Catholics and lovers of art, history and beauty.
The chapel serves as the high point of Vatican tours and hosts between 10,000 and 20,000 visitors each day.
A few facts:
*The chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV in 1475 to be the pope’s chapel and site of papal elections, which is still its use today.
*In 1481, the pope had the walls decorated with frescoes painted by Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli and Pietro Perugino.
*The ceiling was originally painted by Piero Matteo d’Amelia and featured a starry sky.
*In 1508, Pope Julius II requested sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti re-paint the ceiling.
*Michelangelo was unhappily pulled away from a project working on the pope’s future tomb and complained about the Sistine Chapel project.
*The artist was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and some ornamentation on the 68-foot tall ceiling.
*After starting the project, Michelangelo ended up painting more than 5,000 feet of frescoes and 300 figures.
*The center panels depict scenes from the
Book of Genesis , including the famous
Creation of Adam through the
story of Noah .
*The work was completed between July 1508 to October 1512.
*Pope Julius II dedicated the newly decorated chapel with a Mass on the Feast of All Saints Day – Nov. 1.
*Michelangelo is believed to have done nearly all the work, except for an occasional assistant doing a patch of sky or landscape.
*Artistically, Michelangelo had to paint perspectives that looked correct on curved surfaces from 60 feet below.
*The artist did not paint on his back, as depicted by actor Charleton Heston in 1965’s “The Agony and the Ecstasy.” But a scaffolding system was created to accommodate the ceiling curvature.
*The project is considered to have permanently damaged Michelangelo's eyesight.
*Michelangelo was in his 60s when Pope Clement VII called him back to the chapel, against his wishes, to paint
The Last Judgement on the altar wall.
Visiting this international treasure is on my to-do list.
While I'm awed at the photographs, I look forward to seeing the vivid Biblical scenes in person.
My mother was able to spend a few weeks in Italy last year and cannot find words to describe her experience in the chapel.
Anything that can render my mom speechless must be a masterpiece.
