225 Blog 6

Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in four years between 1508 and 1512. The center of the ceiling consists of nine panels depicting the main stories from the Book of Genesis. The most famous of these panels is the painting of the “Creation of Adam.” The symbolism of this painting has been debated by scholars nearly as often as that of Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” Looking at the formal aspects and iconography of the “Creation of Adam,” it is easy to see why this debate continues today.
Viewing this painting, one cannot help but feel moved. It is depicting God creating and giving life to the first man, and you can feel this event when you look at it. But why does this particular fresco evoke so much emotion?
To answer, we must look at the formal aspects of the painting. The composition that Michelangelo used creates the divine feeling of the work. First, it is clearly relevant that the fresco is divided into two halves. The half on the right represents the divine, with God and his angels, while the left half represents earth and humans, with Adam lying on land. This division is further emphasized by the varying shapes in each half. The land behind Adam forms a triangle, while God is shown swooping down in an oval-shaped object. Many believe that this oval represents the human brain, though there is no proof of the idea. Behind the two halves of the painting, the sky is blank which allows for the focal point of the painting (the hand of God and Adam) to stand out.
It is also noticeable in this painting that the body of Adam and God are in great relation to one another. After all, “God created man in his image.” When looking at the “Creation of Adam,” it is possible to imagine curved lines connecting the two bodies. These curved lines run parallel to one another, curving slightly with the “peaks” of the curves reaching toward the bottom of the image. These lines connect the two faces, the shoulders (at the center of which are the fingers), the hips, the knees, and the feet. The relation between God and Adam can also be seen in the individual positions of the bodies. Each body is very muscular, showing their similarity. Also, God’s left hand, which is resting behind him, mirrors the outstretched left hand of Adam. Likewise, God’s right shin and foot are almost identical to that of Adam. Lastly, and probably the most symbolic aspect of the position of the two bodies, is the way in which Michelangelo depicts the force of God moving toward Adam. Notice that each figure’s center of gravity is similar, and the lower outline of each body moves in a similar curve. In this way, Michelangelo shows the divine figure of God as a convex form and the human body is concave, as if God is pushing part of himself in that direction and Adam is receiving it.
Now we look at the most important part of the painting, where the hand of God reaches toward the hand of Adam. The two fingers almost touch, but not quite. Despite this, there is a feeling that a current is flowing from God’s fingers through Adam’s. This is produced partially by the position of the bodies, but also by the depiction of God’s hand being more “alive” than Adam’s. The hand of Adam is limp, a symbol that could be taken many ways. However, I feel that it allows the viewer to feel the life travelling through Adam. When I look at this image, I can imagine life flowing through Adam’s body from his right side toward his outstretched hand. I can feel that at any moment, the life that God breathes into man will suddenly reach Adam’s outstretched hand, and he will be able to raise his index finger to touch the mirrored finger of the Lord.
Many have said that Michelangelo was not a great painter, and that he was a much better sculptor. I agree that he was a great sculptor, but after viewing the Sistine Chapel, and the “Creation of Adam” in particular, I must say that I disagree with Michelangelo’s critics.