Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Quick answer
Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City between 1508 and 1512, commissioned by Pope Julius II. The huge fresco, covering about 500 m² (5,400 sq ft), includes the famous Creation of Adam. He later painted The Last Judgment on the chapel’s altar wall.
Key facts
- Artist
- Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564)
- Ceiling painted
- 1508–1512
- Commissioned by
- Pope Julius II
- Location
- Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
A sculptor forced to paint
Michelangelo considered himself mainly a sculptor, having already carved the famous David in Florence. He reportedly didn’t want the job and suspected rivals had recommended him hoping he’d fail. Instead, he created one of the greatest works in Western art.
What the ceiling shows
| Section | Scenes |
|---|---|
| Center | Nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the Creation of Adam, the creation of Eve and the Flood |
| Sides | Prophets and sibyls (ancient prophetesses) |
| Corners and edges | Ancestors of Christ and Old Testament stories |
In The Creation of Adam, God reaches out to give life to Adam, their fingers almost touching. It’s one of the most reproduced religious images in history.
How he painted it
- He used fresco: painting onto wet plaster, so the colors become part of the wall as it dries. He had to work fast, a small section at a time.
- Contrary to legend, he didn’t paint lying on his back. He stood on a wooden scaffold of his own design, bending backward, which strained his neck and eyes. He wrote a humorous poem complaining about the pain.
The Last Judgment
From 1536 to 1541, Michelangelo returned to paint The Last Judgment on the wall behind the altar. Some nude figures caused controversy and were later partly covered with painted cloth.
Visiting today
The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums and is also where cardinals hold the conclave to elect a new pope. Photography is not allowed inside. A major restoration from 1980 to 1994 revealed the ceiling’s bright original colors.
The chapel is in the smallest country in the world. For a very different painting, see Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory.
Still curious?
Jump to a random question from the archive.