The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican is not only a famous religious building but also home to some world-famous and priceless works. The full name of this chapel, Cappella Sistina, is from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned its construction. It was completed between 1477-1480.
It was decorated by the greatest artists of the Renaissance, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. The most famous are Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes. The Sistine Chapel is considered one of Michelangelo's most important works. He worked for four years to complete the ceiling and finished it in 1512. The ceiling depicts scenes from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Michelangelo portrayed the figures with incredible mastery while dealing with themes such as creation, the rise and fall of humanity. The ceiling is located under a large dome consisting of nine sections and is covered with frescoes depicting the biblical story of creation.
One of the most striking parts of the ceiling is the scene of God giving life to Adam. Michelangelo depicted this scene through two hands almost touching each other. This depiction is considered a symbolic expression of creation in human history.
Other sections contain other important elements of the creation story: the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise, the building of Noah's Ark, and the Great Flood.
Michelangelo's mastery of these frescoes is known for his attention to detail in the anatomy of human figures, their dramatic expressions and movements.
