Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel

by Andrew Graham-Dixon

The true story behind one of the greatest masterpieces of all time.

You cannot stand underneath the masterwork that is the Sistine Chapel without considering the genius and painstaking work that went into its creation. Michelangelo Buonarroti never wanted to paint the Sistine Chapel, though. Appointed by the temperamental Julius II, Michelangelo believed the suspiciously large-scale project to be a plot for failure conspired by his rivals and the “Warrior Pope.” After all, Michelangelo was not a painter—he was a sculptor. The noble artist reluctantly took on the daunting task that would damage his neck, back, and eyes (if you have ever strained to admire the real thing, you know). Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the story behind the famous painted ceiling over which the great artist painfully toiled for four long years.

Linking Michelangelo’s personal life to his work on the Sistine Chapel, Graham-Dixon describes Michelangelo’s unique depiction of the Book of Genesis, tackles ambiguities in the work, and details the painstaking work that went into Michelangelo’s magnificent creation. Complete with rich, full-color illustrations and Graham-Dixon’s articulate narrative, Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel is an indispensable and significant piece of art criticism. It humanizes this heavenly masterpiece in a way that every art enthusiast, student, and professional can understand and appreciate.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, History, Art History, Italy, Renaissance

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2009

About the author

Andrew Graham-Dixon has presented six landmark series on art for the BBC, including the acclaimed A History of British Art, Renaissance and Art of Eternity, as well as numerous individual documentaries on art and artists. For more than twenty years he has published a weekly column on art, first in the Independent and, more recently, in the Sunday Telegraph. He has written a number of acclaimed books, on subjects ranging from medieval painting and sculpture to the art of the present, including Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane, Art: The Definitive Visual Guide, and Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel.

Reviews

[Castles · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's a very interesting read into Michelangelo's masterpiece. Dixon interpretation is very smart and fluid and he's a pleasure to read.

the book, while very short, can actually be used as a guide if you're going to visit the Sistine Chapel. I must admit though that Ross King's take on Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel is much more informative and shed more light on the roots of the work and the history of Italy, as long with the pope's campaigns.

[Sabrina Bain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical read, but lags at times

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow history #painters #litcrazymovie #Michelangelowaslit

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The painting of the immense fresco depicting the creation of the universe, the creation of man, and the creation of evil brought Michelangelo and Pope Julius II together. It was not an easy association; the Pope was notoriously difficult and it was only after much persuasion from the Pope’s emissaries that Michelangelo reluctantly agreed to take on the task.

Thus began the work that would consume four years of his life. The results of that work are the iconic panels that cover the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

This absorbing account of the artist and his work includes full-color panels of the Chapel’s artwork, drawings, and photographs. Extensive author notes and a bibliography are also included. Readers with an interest in art, in Michelangelo’s work, or in the creation of the masterpiece that is the Sistine Chapel will find much to appreciate here.

Highly recommended.

[Lillian Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

yeah i could probs paint the sistine chapel too its whatever

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way Andrew Graham-Dixon writes is one that echoes what he writes about. His passion and choices of words shine through. His Caravaggio, grittier, more human, his Michelangelo majestic and noble.

An excellent introductory biography of Michelangelo, focusing on the two contemporary sources, Condivi and Vasari, whilst not ignoring more recent scholarship about Michelangelo's personal life. Namely, with the use of his letters.

With the shrouded idea of Michelangelo firmly revealed, one can explore the beauty of the Sistine ceiling. From the descriptions conjured by Graham-Dixon, one can only imagine the spectacle of seeing it new, pure, untainted by mass tourism.

A Michelangelo rises. Not just as a craftsman, but as a theologian. Not relying on speculation, Graham-Dixon does not undermine Michelangelo's contribution to the ceiling. His theological knowledge confirmed by Condivi.

However, this book is immensely safe. A theological vision of the ceiling formed from Michelangelo scholarship of past years. What else Michelangelo has in store for us, one can only wait. His perception of himself, his place in the world, and the image he created of himself, will continue to pull us like the Sun does the Earth.

And, to be a proper Andrew Graham-Dixon fan, I leave you with an Italian passage with no translation.

"Io vidi Più folgór vivi e vincenti
far di noi centro e di sé far corona"

Paradiso, Canto. X, 64-65.

[Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I had the chance to see the Sistine Chapel was at the end of a Vatican tour, and I was already overwhelmed by what I saw before entering the magic chamber. The place was overcrowded, the walls and ceiling were covered with more frescoes than an unprepared visitor can take in, and, apart from The Creation of Adam, I did not recognise any of the religious depictions painted on several levels with colours that, due to the careful restorations, looked as bright as they were freshly painted.
I didn’t even recognise Christ of The Last Judgement. He looked to me as the Greek god of the bodybuilders who indulged in an unrestrained number of supplements.
Since then, I read a bit about Renaissance art, the history of the Christian religion, and, after seeing Waldemar Januszczak’s provocative and intriguing documentary The Michelangelo Code: Lost Secrets of the Sistine Chapel, I felt the need to know more, and I enjoyed reading this excellent book, which I found to be an appealing introduction to the history of the Chapel, the meanings of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, and possible interpretations.
The book is a short and clear synthesis, attractively written, and easy to be read by a layman.
I learned many new aspects about the history of the building, the meaning and religious intricacies of the frescos, the patrons, Michelangelo’s beliefs, and the painting process.
It was a pleasure to read it and it opened my eyes to a powerful and multilayered work of art and its history (I was blind but now I see! John 9:25 😉).
As the author says, many messages, allusions, and associations are lost now, even for the specialists, but Michaelangelo’s masterwork does much more than give visible form to a particular set of religious orthodoxies, it fascinates the viewer and uplifts him to a realm of wonder.

[Tuti · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started with a release of a book cover, showing two angels reaching toward each other. For some reason, it reminded me of the Creation of Adam painting and it made me want to see the picture of the painting again.

Frankly, I wanted only to look at the pretty pictures as I am totally ignorant of arts, but I ended up learning a thing or two about Michelangelo, the paintings at the Sistine Chapel, and some of his other work.

The book is very easy to read for someone who knows nothing about art. It's a good thing for me, but it may not be what other people want. It is also a good book to read before visiting the Sistine Chapel, so you have an idea what you're ooh and ahh-ing about.

It starts with the history of Michelangelo, his family background and a little bit of his childhood, all the way to the time he reluctantly agreed to paint the Sistine Chapel. Then the author goes meticulously through each of the main nine paintings of the Genesis Cycle, the three triads, before going to the other paintings. I have to admit that my interest in his descriptions and speculations started to wane after the second triad and almost completely diminished before he starts with the Last Judgment. I am guessing that it's probably because I was reading the book for the Creation of Adam. Another problem is that Noah story is generally not new to people - it's too much of a pop culture, that I don't feel interested to know more about it.

One of the problems I have is that the colorful pictures of the paintings are far away from the pages describing them, which makes a lot of going back and forth between pages. There is also no good picture of the Last Judgment, which makes it hard to see what the author is talking about. The conclusion is a bit boring.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for those who have been to, or are planning to visit, the Sistine Chapel. It might also be a nice guide to have along if you happen to be under Michelangelo's famous ceiling. This well-written, accessible, and thorough analysis of Michelangelo's thought processes and intentions, as concluded through research documents and a study of the images, further deepens an understanding of the Sistine Chapel ceiling's many parts. The descriptions are thoughtful and well-reasoned, and the background on Michelangelo serves to support the arguments made. Also intriguing is the discussion about the order in which the sections of the ceiling were completed, how Michelangelo's style progressed, and how he greatly diverged from the representations of biblical scenes created by his predecessors and used invention and imagination to create completely new interpretations of familiar imagery, symbolism, and stories. Anyone who stands under the Sistine Chapel ceiling knows they are looking at a work of profound genius, intimacy, and careful thought, but this book underscores Michelangelo's aptitude for rendering not only figures in space, but for bringing to those figures, much like in God's creation of Adam, all of the complexity, turmoil, and emotion of life.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In college I took a course on art history, which led to visiting, upon graduation, many of the artworks in Europe that I had read about. One of my premiere destinations was the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel so this book appealed to me when I saw it. It has pictures of various aspects of the ceiling and the 'Last Judgment', however, they are small so it is sometimes difficult to make out what the author is talking about. He concentrates on Michelangelo' s interpretation of Christianity and how he presented it in fresco. Since the ceiling focuses on the events and people leading up to the time of Christ, it necessitated following closely some of his arguments. Unfortunately, that is not exactly what I was looking for. It is a short book, but might be better suited to those who are interested in the religious aspects of this great artistic work.

He does discuss some of the sculptures that Michelangelo created. The fame of the 'David' and the 'Pieta' need no explanation, but my favorite work is the 'Madonna of Bruges'. I made a special trip to Bruges just to see it. It was more than worth the effort.

[Ratko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ову књигу узео сам инспирисан својим недавним боравком у Риму, а таман ми је добро дошло обнављање градива.

Сикстинска капела заиста је једно монументално уметничко остварење и овде нам аутор постепено приказује и објашњава шта је то све и кога Микеланђело насликао на њеном своду, дајући и понеко своје (понекад и натегнуто) тумачење. Такође, успут, укратко даје и историјску перспективу, са појединим подацима о друштвеним догађајима тога доба и понеку информацију из Микеланђеловог личног живота.
Стил је балансиран, између научно-популарног и суво научног, тако да може да прати и неко ко није историчар уметности, мада је добро имати бар неког основног појма о уметничким кретањима тога доба. Ја бих волео још више детаља и историјске перспективе, али и овако је занимљиво.

(Иначе, ако би ме неко на некој имагинарној анкети упитао да означим једну слику која би била представник целе цивилизације (или макар тзв. западне), немам дилему да бих изабрао Микеланђелово "Стварање Адама", толико је симболике и значења у том ухваћеном тренутку, заиста фасцинантно.)

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite fascinating. Visiting the Sistine Chapel is a bit of a surreal experience, and I wish I'd brought binoculars. However, once seen, it is so worthwhile to look back and "see" the layout of the entire ceiling.

The author navigates the ceiling very well, but is oddly weird when it comes to explaining WHY Michaelangelo painted what he did. Well, Michaelangelo lived and breathed and believed what he was painting. When you believe things, you paint them as reality. The author doesn't seem to "get" that point very well, and looks into some rather odd "they made him paint it this way" arguments.

But the book is very worthwhile to read. I had not realized that the Sistine Chapel has the same dimensions as Solomon's Temple. 134 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 68 feet high. I love it when these kind of dots connect!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to visit the Sistine Chapel tomorrow, and while this is my entry for Vatican City/Holy See for my Global Reading challenge (yes it’s cheating no I don’t care), this was a fascinating read. It’s a good introduction to Michelangelo’s work, and for me it was good to be reminded of the details of the Old Testament and the stories it is telling. It was presented in context, which was very helpful to fill the gaps in my existing knowledge.

Favourite topics covered in the book for me were: Michelangelo’s Pietà, his sexuality, the never-built papal tomb for Julius II, David, Goliath, Judith and Holofernes, Eve and Adam eating from the fig tree, and Jonah. And, of course, the creation of Adam, while Eve is already on God’s mind, painted on his left side.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable book. The book is in two sections - the first section is about Michelangelo, where he grew up, who did he apprentice, and how he learned. He states he is a sculpture, not a painter. It delves into the competition between artists during his day. Did he want this job? Who was Michelangelo? I loved reading the history of it all.
The second part of the book was more about the art history. The panels of paintings, the discussion of certain painting such as Noah and the Flood, Adam and Eve, why God is portrayed as an old man with a long beard...how did they feel about the nudity in the paintings...
I knew nothing about the Sistine Chapel and enjoyed the read. A quick read.

[Richard Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this work historical, biographical, and hermeneutic. The author brings the Sistine Chapel, including the Last Judgment, to life in interesting ways. He utilizes metaphor, mythology, and interpretation to integrate his ideas and others' interpretations of the frescoes. His historical sources are varied, but he utilizes the writings of two of Michelangelo's contemporaries primarily for biographical purposes. The work is straightforward and enlightening, and is very well written and sourced.

[Kirk A. Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accessible scholarship

An intelligent and accessible overview of the artist’s life and the art and iconography of the Sistine Chapel. Eschews the usual convoluted analysis of the Chapel in favor of a straightforward but thorough exploration of both the artistic and spiritual content of the images. Provides insight into Michelangelo’s growth as an artist and as a pious man eager to serve God through his art. Recommended for anyone interested in the art of the Chapel; no art history degree required.

[FRED GARTNER]

Excellent insight

This book is an excellent insight to the work of Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel. I am reviewing the virtual book version. It has the pictures of the works on the ceiling and of the Last Judgement with the explanations written in an understanding description. I recommend this book highly because it can be an educational display of the artist's work. I am going to get the book version and will see if more pictures of the Sistine Chapel are in it. This version is ok for those who are beginners of the study on Michaelangelo.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on a kindle which was a big mistake. I could not read without continually referencing the images the author spoke of - so I was back and forth between kindle and computer screen. I really wanted to know more about Michelangelo after reading, from a biographical standpoint. Some of the speculations about the frescoes seem like a far stretch but then again, art can never really be objective.

[Tim Deforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book includes brief biography of Michelangelo and summary of the events leading up to him being given the task of painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The bulk of the book is an intelligent and sometimes fascinating analysis of the paintings, discussing the artist's amazing influence on art throughout the centuries since his lifetime, as well as theories on the meaning, themes and iconography of the various elements of the ceiling.

[Hugolane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent much of the last two years reading the literature of the Renaissance, and along the way it occurred to me that the focus on literature meant I was missing something, and I purchased this. It was a quick read, and I someone, who has never been further south in Europe than Budapest, learned a great deal. The color plates were most helpful, and contrary to my expectation when I bought it, it is not a coffee table sized book, but a conventionally sized octavo, so it was easy to read.

[Tom Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michelangelo was one of histories greatest prodigies. Powerful people fought to be his patron, which did not always work in his favor; he didn’t want this commission! The author spends most chapters explaining what is going on in the ceiling panels, providing a useful education in the books of the Old Testament.

[Ella Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect read before I enter the Sistine chapel for the very first time on Thursday. I am continually fascinated by the life of Michelangelo, and the lengths he went to in order to ensure that his vision was carried out. He is a reminder, to me, as an artist, of the complicated ambition and passion that must be present in every work that we undertake.

[Gil Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very engaging work. It dispels some of the more farfetched interpretations of Michelangelo's images on the Sistine ceiling, yet like most art history, it, too, yields to unsupported speculation about motives, intent, and intellectual and artistic inspirations.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea how much faith and biblical knowledge Michelangelo had when he painted the Sistine Chapel. I had never seen the images, so the book was a delight for not only seeing the paintings but also learning about the painter.

[Peggie Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short volume, mainly discussing the actual paintings of the Sistine Chapel. Mainly read it as a fallback to my college major of art history but I did learn, or perhaps relearn, things from 50 years ago in my Italian Renaissance art classes.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful overview of the work and lie of Michelangelo. I appreciate the artwork so much more now and have to pay another visit to Vatican City in the future in order to better appreciate the frescoes in the Chapel.

[Mary B. Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gift of faith through art.

Amazing description of the life and work of Michelangelo showing how his art and his faith grew as he worked.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, insightful, and readable explbanation of Michelangelo’s works.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so informationally fascinating! It's a little wordy, however great details depicted from the author who painstakingly goes through explaining the whole ceiling.

[Mel Brannen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, excellent!