The Sistine Ceiling.
Michelangelo's masterpiece.

The vault of the Sistine Ceiling covers 800 sqm of fresco painting. The Sistine Chapel is decorated with nine scenes from Genesis, four large and five small ones.

Three of the episodes describe the Creation, three the story of Adam and Eve, and three tell the story of Noah. The paintings sequence is as follows, from the South end of the Chapel.

The Separation of Light and Darkness
The Creation of the Heavenly Bodies
The Separation of Land and Water
The Creation of Adam
The Creation of Eve
The Fall of Man and the Expulsion from Paradise
The Sacrifice of Noah
The Flood
The Drunkenness of Noah

The Separation of Light and Darkness. (w)

This scene clearly shows the Ignudi.

The Ignudi are the male nudes supporting corners of the smaller scenes in the centre part of the ceiling. There are 20 in all and they are painted as heavy muscular figures demonstrating Michelangelo's detailed study of anatomy.

The Creation of the Heavenly Bodies. (w)

The Separation of Land and Water. (w)

The Creation of Adam. (detail) (w)

The Creation of Eve. (w)

Expulsion from Paradise. (s)

The Fall of Man. (s)

The Sacrifice of Noah. (w)

The Flood. (detail) (s)

The Drunkenness of Noah. (w)


Back to The Sistine Chapel from the Sistine Ceiling
Home Page