DELA CRUZ, TANGELA MARIE D.

BSEFIL 2 BLK 1

E256 TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING & LEARNING 1

THE CREATION OF ADAM

By: Micheal Angelo

The Creation of Adam is a fresco painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512
on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. It depicts the passage from the Book of
Genesis which describes God creating Adam and giving life to the first man. It is one of the most
iconic works of the Renaissance and one of the most reproduced religious works. Michelangelo
was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine chapel when he was in Rome working on the
tomb of Pope Julius II. The original commission included paintings of the Twelve Apostles on the
pendentives of the Sistine Chapel, however Michelangelo persuaded the Pope to allow him to
rethink the design. The final result is one of his most magnificent and complex works which covers
over 500 square meters of ceiling, depicting over 300 figures. The Creation of Adams has God in
the right half of the composition as an aged, white bearded man draped in a swirling red cloak
while surrounded by a group of figures. His right arm is extended and it almost meets Adam’s in
the center of the composition, symbolizing the act of creation. Adam is naked and lounges against
a rock in the lower lefthand section of the composition. Adam remains below God with their
hands untouched to signify that they are not equals. Although it is not clear who the figures are in
the group around God, it is thought that they represent Eve and the rest of the human race to be
born of Adam and Eve. Michelangelo took inspiration from the Bible and the book of Genesis,
which states “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him”. It is also
thought he was inspired by the medieval hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus” which mentions the “finger
of the paternal right hand”. The composition of God surrounded by a group of people and a cloak
continues to divide opinions. Some believe that it is an anatomically correct human brain whereas
others believe that it depicts a human uterus in line with the theme of creating life.