Chapter 1
The stubborn apprentice of Florence
Chapter 2
Painting under protest in the Sistine Chapel
Chapter 3
Shaping stone and space
Chapter 4
The divine genius of the twilight years
YOUR GOAL
Master of The world of Michelangelo
Ch 2 · Painting under protest in the Sistine Chapel
andy Sistine Chapel Painting Protest
My neck is bent, / Paint on my face, / I'm not a painter!
andy The fresco technique, Italian for fresh, requires applying pigment to wet lime plaster and chipping away mistakes to
Fun Fact
No lying down: Despite popular myths, Michelangelo did not paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling lying on his back; he painted standing up on wooden platforms.
Glossary
fresco (noun)
A method of painting on freshly plastered walls or ceilings with water-based pigments. Believing himself a sculptor, Michelangelo reluctantly used this medium for his 1508 Vatican ceiling commission.
A method of painting on freshly plastered walls or ceilings with water-based pigments. Believing himself a sculptor, Michelangelo reluctantly used this medium for his 1508 Vatican ceiling commission.
Quiz
How did Michelangelo retaliate against the papal master of ceremonies, Biagio da Cesena, who criticized his art's nudity?
Quiz
Which pope ordered a reluctant Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508?
Quiz
How long did it take Michelangelo to paint the original Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes?
Quiz
Which book of the Bible inspired the nine central panels running down the middle of the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Quiz
Which rival artist secretly snuck into the Sistine Chapel to copy Michelangelo's muscular style?
Quiz
What does the Italian word 'fresco,' the painting technique used by Michelangelo on the Sistine ceiling, literally mean?