Research Paper on Michelangelo's Artwork

How Michelangelo's Artwork Complimented the Creation as Recorded in Genesis

Michelangelo resisted the mold and tried new methods that included the Italian traditional building methods. He changed his styles mainly because many frescoes showed holes with stiletto outlining the figures. Michelangelo was confident and used small drawings to apply the painting directly on the ceiling breaking the tradition. He wanted to emphasize the need for the human to be saved by God through Jesus. Since this had already been witnessed in the present in the Old Covenant by the children of Israel and the New Covent through Christ, Michelangelo was to create a visual metaphor in the mind of humans to get the need for the new covenant (Brown, p. 321).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Michelangelo had nine scenes and more than 300 figures that were the components of the design form the book of Genesis ("Sistine Chapel Ceiling Analysis"). His fantastic artwork demonstrated that God created the world and humanity in it. It represents how men fell and how they were punished with death and separated from God. It further illustrates that humanity did not stop sinning and God further punished them with floods. It then presents Christ Jesus, who came as the savior of humanity ("Sistine Chapel Ceiling Analysis"). Michelangelo's components on the ceiling were mostly linked to these teachings from both the new and old covenants. The elements of reconciling Christian theology with the philosophy of Renaissance Humanity were also depicted on the ceiling.

Michelangelo invented beautiful images to describe the creation as recorded in Genesis. As the painter, he showed the picture of the creator which filled the sky and with his arm, he pushed darkness backward and lightly rolled in like clouds. In the creation of the sun, moon, and stars, Michelangelo showed God flying away from a human, and his arms rose, commanding the celestial bodies into beings. In the separation of land and water, Michelangelo showed God moving towards humans and moving his gestures towards the world (Graham and Buonarroti, p. 71). When creating Adam, God is depicted as an old bearded man wrapped in swirling clock and Adam is completely nude. God is seen outreaching his right arm to give a spark of life to Adam ("Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel"). That showed that God created man in his image and likeness.

Also, God is depicted to have known that Adam needed a companion, made him fall into deep sleep and created Eve out of one of his rib. Michelangelo showed Eve emerging from Adam's side, and God's head is seen bumping up against the frame to show that he is not at the same level with men ("Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel"). Michelangelo consulted the nature of the colors and focused on getting the right colors for the versions. That was to get the perfection he admired too.

How Michelangelo's Background Influenced his Decorative Style and Techniques

The late Renaissance was dominated by the rain chance style and the interest in the classical culture. Mannerism encouraged technical and artwork in the architecture. With the rise of the notion of fine arts, every man was ready to adopt the artwork and poetic work. The experts in the pictorial illustration received much recognition including high status and became internationally known individuals.

Michelangelo worked with wealthy patrons who had knowledge and skills to dictate the content and the form of artwork. Michelangelo's patron who was a medieval pope wanted to extend territories and the spiritual authority into reality, and Michelangelo was selected to the inspiration. Julius, the pope, appreciated the value of artwork and visual imagery. He selected Michelangelo to take on the challenge of painting the frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Although painting was not his choice, he had no option to accept the assignment by the pope (Kleiner, p. 634).

Michelangelo was appointed as one in charge of reorganization of Capitoline Hill. He was obsessed with human form and reasoned that the buildings should follow the shape of the human body hence organizing the architecture in their units symmetrically. The right for self-expression of talent helped Michelangelo to create sculptures, works in artist and painting. He also had the freedom to add vast of styles, eccentric and titanic forms that loom before the viewer. David as a civic symbol left the great block of marble which was worked on by Michelangelo that assured his reputation as an extraordinary talent. In his artwork, Michelangelo argued that to say anything. It should be through art and painting (Kleiner p. 627; "Michelangelo Style and Technique"). Thus, Michelangelo broke from his predecessors and contemporaries lessons and did not trust the use of mathematical procedures and formulas as guarantees for beauty in proportion. He believed that measurements and dimensions should be kept in the eyes since hands work but eyes judge.

Why Michelangelo was Unwilling to Accept the Sistine Chapel Job

Michelangelo was reluctant to take on the job of the Sistine Chapel. First, he was a free-spirited man. Since the pope wanted to use this show of artwork to influence power through the church, he appointed Michelangelo. Pope Julius 2 used aggressive methods control, unite and rule Italy under the leadership of the church, Michelangelo knew he would be involved in that great deal by Pope. Michelangelo was rich enough and saw no need to fight for power. Pope Julius 2 was after the papal authority that he wanted to use with better means through the artwork of Michelangelo. That was after seeing the St. Peter Basilica as being the symbol of the source he had admired for years (Brown, p. 307).

Pope Julius 2, the warrior, had hidden agenda that Michelangelo realized. Pope did not only want the Sistine Chapel to have only bricks and stones but wanted the artwork of painting. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was already painted blue and decorated with gold stars, but Pope had the goal of decoration to represent the zodiacal constellations. Michelangelo knew this idea and did not favor it.

Michelangelo was also a wealthy man, rich enough to build something that he does not want. He did not want to indulge in the matters to do with the Sistine Chapel job as he knew he already has to want they can pay to do the Job. On the other hand, he was great at sculpting, and he loved it, but by the fact that Pope Julius wanted to use this artwork to rule and influence Rome he was to be reluctant. Also, Michelangelo was busy on another task of building a massive tomb for Pope (Brown, p. 311).

How Michelangelo Accepted the Challenge of Painting the Sistine Chapel Frescoes

When Pope gave the commission of Pope's tomb to Michelangelo, famous architect was not happy and convinced Pope to commission Michelangelo with the painting of the Sistine Chapel Frescoes which he was not familiar with. That was to undermine Michelangelo and thought he would fail miserably. Michelangelo accepted and asked to give him the freedom to paint what he wanted and present him with several other schemes like that of creation (Brown, p. 494). Michelangelo was disappointed by the failure of his friend to secure the commission. After Bramante had failed to secure the commission, it gave Michelangelo no hopes for the task of frescoing the vault of the Sistine Chapel. Bramante anticipated for the failure of Michelangelo, but Michelangelo accepted the task when pope pursued him. He worked hard since he realized that the architect in chief was determined to thwart his artist career (Brown, p. 535).

Michelangelo was a person of great talent imagination, and he was able to produce an exquisite snowman we can ever imagine. That made him not to turn down the opportunity. Vasari claimed that Michelangelo obtained his money through the sweat of eyebrow and many doubted Michelangelo's enormous wealth (King, p. 9). Michelangelo accepted the job since he knew that he would receive a lot of presents, gifts and an untold amount of money from grateful Pope and princess for his artwork.

Raphael and Bramante wanted to diminish the work of Michelangelo. By the fact that Michelangelo was a great and young artist, he accepted the commission after the pope was convinced to give him. They thought that Michelangelo would fail and that they were going to be recognized as the most celebrated artists (Graham and Buonarroti, p.66). However, Michelangelo took the work of painting the chapel seriously, and he was devoted to that work. He did a marvelous job that beat the eyes of the enemies.

How the Painting the Sistine Chapel affected Michelangelo's Health

Michelangelo always wanted to work clean. He stretched the cloth beneath the scaffold to catch the dust and plaster drips. Michelangelo also painted the ceiling while lying on his back and his neck bending. That resulted in his bones getting hurt due to the constant pressure and out of the normal posture (Brown, p. 315). Michelangelo finally complained of his health. By bending, he has strained like a Syrian bow. His buttocks bear his weight; his feet unguided wander to and fro.

While painting the wall of Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo fell though he didn't hurt himself seriously. Since he was alone, he was to drag himself home to get help. The artist gave himself so much to his work that he forgot his health and ended up being significantly affected (Graham and Buonarroti, p.66). After several years he realized the pain and wrote a poem lamenting of his health. He was suffering from gout which resulted from the effect of both the kidney stones, the neck was swollen, and he could feel pain in the back of his brain (Brown, p. 502).

Michelangelo, after lying several years all day on a high building painting, his head bending and with muscle contractions, he was unable to read and could only read when his heads and hands are high (Bianucci et al., p. 14). At the age of 50, Michelangelo's worsened and had chronic back pains; his hands were deformed and he had problems with his back and feet. While working on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the artist developed a condition that affected his sleeping and also had some chronic pain (Espinel, p. 2150). When he used to kneel for long hours, his knees formed worn patches, and the skin turned pale and tense. Underneath the knee there were lumps, and the knobs appeared dense and hard.

Works Cited

"Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel." Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-ren-florence-rome/michelangelo/a/michelangelo-ceiling-of-the-sistine-chapel. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

"Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel." Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-ren-florence-rome/michelangelo/v/michelangelo-ceiling-of-the-sistine-chapel-1508-12. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

"Michelangelo Style and Technique." Artble, 19 July 2017, www.artble.com/artists/michelangelo/more_information/style_and_technique. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

"Sistine Chapel Ceiling Analysis." Artable, 19 July 2017, www.artble.com/artists/michelangelo/paintings/sistine_chapel_ceiling/more_information/analysis. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

Bianucci, et al. "Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) Had the Deconditioning Syndrome While Painting the Sistine Chapel Ceiling." Medical Hypotheses, vol. 113, 2018, p. 13-14.

Brown, Tom. Michelangelo: Complete Works: Detailed Analysis with High Quality Rainbow Art, 2017. ISBN-13: 978-152068103 Pages 316-342

Espinel, Carlos Hugo. "Michelangelo's Gout in a Fresco by Raphael." The Lancet, vol. 354, no. 9196, 1999, p. 2149-2151

Graham-Dixon, Andrew, and Michelangelo Buonarroti. Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel. Skyhorse Pub., 2016. Pages 69-73

King, Ross. Michelangelo & the Pope's Ceiling. Bloomsbury, 2014. ASIN: B01NH0NMTS Pages 7-11 Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art through the Ages: A Global History. 15th ed....