The Creation of Adam

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The Sistine Chapel is located in The Vatican, Italy and was named after the Pope Sixto IV, who was responsible for the construction of this chapel. The Sistine Chapel has many paintings on its walls and ceiling, but it?s the painting in the middle of the ceiling that is the center of attraction to the many visitors the Chapel receives. The ceiling contains nine different biblical scenes painted from the year fifteen eight (1508) through the year fifteen twelve (1512). The center of attraction, as mentioned before, is no other painting than The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. Michelangelo painted the Creation of Adam in a very uncomfortable position, lying in his back and on top of a scaffold in order to reach the very high ceiling. The painting illustrates, as the name itself say?s it all, the creation of Adam or in other words the creation of mankind by God.

The skillfulness of the artist and the symbolism the painting illustrates creates perhaps one of the most inspiring paintings ever created.

The Creation of Adam exactly portrays, God descending in a red cape from the sky, surrounded by angels, with his right arm stretched out, as well as his index finger which is pointing to a the body Adam that is lying in the ground. As God approaches and points his right index finger to it, the body of Adam raises weakly impotently its left hand and stretches his left index towards God, waiting to receive its final touch towards creation, or in other words waiting to receive life and therefore the start of mankind. This painting portrays the power and greatness of God, as well as the impotence of mankind when compared to the Omnipotent.

The style of the painting is Italian renaissance, which is proper of the...