Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Epoch of the Renaissance in Italy
The Sistine Chapel Frescos
Michelangelo’s works and the Creation of Adam
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The Italian art of the Renaissance represents the invaluable contribution to the heritage of the world culture and art. The paintings of the Italian artists of that period are on permanent display in the world’s largest museums representing the outstanding works of classic art. The Creation of Adam is one of the famous frescos by Michelangelo Buonarotti, the Italian artist of the epoch of Renaissance.

The aim of this essay is to analyze Michelangelo’s fresco the Creation of Adam which is a part of the decoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The Epoch of the Renaissance in Italy

Michelangelo’s works belong to the period of Renaissance in art and the time of Medici rule in Italy. Goldscheide & Buonarroti (1951) claim that “under the patronage of the Medici and other merchant families, art in Florence had assumed an elegant, sophisticated character, pleasingly reminiscent of the antique, familiar and decorative — it became, in fact, an art of interior decoration” (p.13).

At that period the rapid development of art was accompanied by the opening of art workshops across the country and engaging young artists in assist the masters. Moreover, the long traditions of the visual art in Italy led to the formation of dynasties in this field when the artists techniques were passed from the father to son. Cole (1987) states that “art into art, the development of one artist’s work from that of another was the major characteristic of Renaissance style” (p.21).

The Sistine Chapel Frescos

The Sistine Chapel itself represents the architecture structure of the period of Renaissance. Its construction was initiated by Pope Sixtus IV in the beginning of the XVI century. Seymour (1972) states that “Sixtus built a new papal Chapel strong as a fortress, had its interior painted, and gave it the name it has borne in history: the Sistine” (p. 69).

Undoubtedly, the Sistine Chapel is famous not only for its historical and architectural value but rather by the frescos by Michelangelo. The Vatican signed the contract with Michelangelo to entrust him the decoration of the new Chapel.

Together with the assistants the artists worked on the four frescos of the Chapel ceiling. Buonarotti (1940) explains that “frescopainting (fresco buono) is painting on damp lime wash” (p.16).

Michelangelo’s works and the Creation of Adam

The Creation of Adam, one of the frescos, depicts God giving his hand to Adam as though he gives him the life at that moment. It should be noted that although God and Adam are two key figures in the fresco, they are presented on the right and on the left sides of the composition respectively. In the centre of the fresco, we can see their hands. In this way, Michelangelo focuses our attention on the symbolic meaning of his work: the hand of God representing his strength and omnipotence as well as Adam’s hand representing the weakness and insignificance of the man to God.

God is depicted by the artists as the old man with grey hair. By his side we can see a woman figure. The critics of the Italian art still argue over who is actually represented. Some of them claim that it is the image if Eve and another ones say that it is the image of Virgin Mary.

Michelangelo thoroughly worked over the anatomy of human body showing its beauty and strength. (Berenson 1953) The artists embodied all of it in the figures of the fresco.

It should be said that Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam is one of the masterpieces of the world art depicting the Bible scene of creation of the first man on the Earth. The composition of the fresco has a symbolic background concentrating our attention on the hands of God and Adam, one representing the force giving the life and the other one representing the need of getting the impulse to life.

Conclusion

To sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the Creation of Adam is the outstanding work of the epoch of Renaissance in Italy. It is a part of the four frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel depicting the Bible scenes. The thorough depiction of the figures and the majesty of their images make the unforgettable impression on the visitors of the Chapel.

References

Berenson, B. (1953). The Italian Painters of the Renaissance. New York, USA: Phaidon Publishers.

Buonarroti, M. (1940). The Paintings of Michelangelo. New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

Cole, B. (1987). Italian Art, 1250-1550: The Relation of Renaissance Art to Life and Society. New York, USA: Harper & Row.

Goldscheider, L., & Buonarroti, M. (1951). Michelangelo Drawings. London, the United Kingdom: Phaidon Press.

Seymour, Ch. Jr. (1972). Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel Ceiling: Illustrations, Introductory Essays, Backgrounds and Sources, Critical Essays. New York, USA: W. W. Norton.

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