Creation of Adam was representative of the important part of Michelangelo's frescoes. Because of his reputation in Florence, Rome Pope Julius II invited him to participate in building the Pope tomb. In 1508, he was forced to agree to paint on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. He was indignant at that time, unexpectedly this frescoes later became the greatest masterpiece in his life. The Creation of Adam and the other Sistine Chapel panels are themes that frequently used in religious paintings of all time.
Creation of Adam
The area of Sistine Chapel ceiling is 500 square meters, is one of the largest frescoes in art history. Michelangelo continuously painted nine different sizes religious paintings according to the frame of architecture in the central part of the hall, These paintings are taken directly from story s in the bible,
The giant frescoes cost more than four years to complete. Because Michelangelo had to paint the frescoes with his face up for so a long time that his neck became stiff and had to read letters up above his head. Creation of Adam was the most outstanding painting among the frescoes. In the painting, Adam's body was robust and full of power, showing the artist’s extraordinary artistry on the basis of reality, giving people inspiration of his contemporaries.
Creation of Adam is the most touching scene in the entire ceiling painting. It does not directly depict the moment the God creating Adam, but describes the minute that the divine spark is about to touch Adam: God, flying from the sky, points his finger toward Adam so as to pass the soul to Adam. His upper body slightly lifts up due to the arrival of the God and the eyes tell his desire to get wisdom and strength. His left hand is slowly reached out to the God. This dramatic moment makes the people and God wonderfully together and triggers our sense of awe.
On the top right of the painting is a wise elder, surrounded by angels, is flying to Adam; and on the lower left corner of the painting is the naked Adam leaning on a green hill. During the creation of this painting, Michelangelo changed the original story slightly. In the original story, the god blows the soul to Adam but these painting changes this plot to the God points his finger to Adam and Adam reaches out his hand to the God. Adam seems just wake up, looking up at the God. Michelangelo was very clever. He forever preserved the little distance between them two. This enables the audience to complete this story by their imagination.
