Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Analysis

Whether intentional or not, by the time Michelangelo finished the Sistine Ceiling in 1512 he had created an enduring legend, that even today is the subject of much study and conjecture. However, because of the monumental scale of the chapel, a detailed study of the iconography in its entirety is would be daunting to even the most skilled and learned scholar. However, because the viewer today is most often separated from or completely uninformed about sixteenth century Italy there are many different interpretations of these iconic images. That being said, many books have been published and many studies were done to try and determine the true nature of the Sistine Ceiling, and the significance of each scene. However, invariably, they leave the reader feeling confused and disoriented, or worse yet unfulfilled and disappointed at the brevity of information. Therefore, one can reach a conclusion that there is no one definitive translation of this massive fresco. There are, however, some sources that seem to be more enlightened than others, one such is a lengthy work by Esther Dotson, entitled An Augustinian Interpretation of Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling. In part one of two, Dotson proposes a compelling argument that the imagery for the Sistine Chapel would have been inspired by the works of Saint Augustine specifically one called The City

This particular article, while interesting, has less to do with the Sistine Ceiling and more to do with the actual history and distribution of printed bibles in sixteenth century Italy. Another such source is the Biblia Pauperum which details some of the history of woodcuts. These images would have been known to men like Saint Augustine, and Pope Julius II and no doubt would have played a major role in their understanding of the