The Sistine Chapel

By: Cory Marks

The Sistine Chapel is located in Vatican City, Italy and is the official chapel of the Pope. The most famous thing about the Sistine Chapel is that the artwork ceiling is one of Michelangeloís famous pieces of art. The chapel was built for Pope Sixtus IV around 1473 and 1483 and is actually named after him. Every single part of the chapel has a very significant meaning especially the walls which are divided into three very important parts of history. The first era resembles on the walls is before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses. The second time period is up until Christís birth and the third period is everything after. The chapel is very important to Vatican City because it is where the papacy holds their conclaves when they need to elect a new Pope.

The chapel is used to elect the College of Cardinals and to vote on a new Pope after the previous one dies or is forced to resign. The chimney in the chapel is used to indicate to the public the status of the voting procedure. If there is black smoke rising then a new Pope has not been elected. But if there is white smoke while the ballots are being burnt to create the smoke, a new Pope has been elected successfully. The first mass was held at the Sistine Chapel on August 9, 1483. The Sistine Chapel, currently, still performs the same functions as it did in the past during the Papal calendar unless the Pope is traveling and not out of Vatican City.

The Sistine Chapel is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the entire world. The exterior of the building is made of brick and in a very rectangular shape which was very common during the Renaissance time period in Italy. The inside of the Sistine Chapel has very high ceilings and every single room was proportional throughout the entire building. Each part of the chapel is decorated with frescoes or paintings and tapestries. Several different artists composed the frescoes which show the difference in the styles of artwork. The most famous part of the chapel is the work of Michelangelo who was asked by Pope Julius II to paint it from 1508 to 1511. On the ceiling, nine different paintings are shown which resemble Godís relationship with the people on Earth and also from the book of Genesis. Probably the most famous of the paintings on the ceiling is the one of God and Adam about to touch each otherís fingers. Michelangelo, at first, was very hesitant to pain at the Sistine Chapel because he felt he was more of a sculptor than an artist. Michelangelo was in a very uncomfortable position while painting because he needed to be high on a scaffold with his neck back for long periods of time. He split the entire ceiling process into three stages to make sure no mistakes would occur during the very precious and tedious procedure. The ceiling shows how God attempted to make the creation of the world as perfect as possible and place life of humans into it. Eventually humanity does not work out and is disgraced and separated from God.

The chapel has started to go under renovations because the artwork has been deteriorating from being around since the 1400s. The restorations of the frescoes began in 1980 and finished in 1999. The frescoes were re-painted to make sure they will last for many more generations and ensure that visitors will continue to come to look at the magnificent pieces of work. Several critics believe the restoration process should have never occurred because it takes away from the original artwork of Michelangelo. Also it is believed that during the restoration process a layer of paint was taken off from the original which makes the finished product look darker and unlike the one that Michelangelo made originally.

Also in the Sistine Chapel are portraits of some of the earlier Popes that were in rule around the time the chapel was being painted. Other famous artists from the Renaissance time period painted the walls around the chapel and almost made the entire chapel into an art gallery. Visitors are able to visit the Sistine Chapel daily unless when the papacy goes into conclave. Cameras are not allowed inside the chapel because the papacy does not believe in recreating the original masterpieces onto film and showing the rest of the world who do not believe in visiting it in person and the flash on cameras could ruin some of the works that are especially very old. All of the paintings have religious symbolism and meanings to them and based upon Christianity. The Sistine Chapel will be used in Vatican City for tourists and for use of the papacy for many years to come as long as the famous paintings are in immaculate condition like their originals in the 1400s.

Bibliography

"Sistine Chapel, Vatican City." 12 Apr. 2008 http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/vatican-sistine-chapel.htm.