These pics show Michelangelo’s drawings of how he painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Many thought he did not paint on his back, but as you can see he built scaffolding to reach the ceiling. The critics were wrong as you can see. Hard to imagine how a man could accomplish such a magnificent work but proof is in his drawings.
Julius III wanted a ceiling done and requested Michelangelo a young talented painter from Florence to do the work. He worked on it from 1508-1512. The images come from the Old Testament of the Jews. Its the creation of the world, God’s creations!The ceiling was painted blue with stars, a clean palette.
15 years later Michelangelo was again summoned to Rome to paint the Final Judgement when he was in his mid 60’s. If you look at the middle panels that run down the middle of the ceiling, her painted with no limitations. He was very pessimistic about his life and in general. Jesus is depicted as large and muscular, his disciples around him. All the images were painted naked which was controversial for the church. Michelangelo saw the end of the world as all beings being equal. The dead would be resurrected and evil existed in his world.
The Sistine Chapel is a mass of people shuffling to get a good spot to view. You are forbidden to talk, take pics and dress inappropriately. This is a sacrifice place.
I have been fortunate to see this magnificence 3 times, and the powerful impact never gets old. It brings tears to my eyes, spiritual, exquisite, a wonder of the world. It does not matter how crowded and uncomfortable it feels because you are witnessing the brilliance of a man.
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