The Virtual Tour in the Sistine Chapel - Assignment Example

When looking at the Chapel from the outside, you get a different impression due to the imposing defensive structure that causes some fear with its menacing ramparts and powerful walls. It looks like an old strongbox that is guarding a treasure. From the outside, it is massive and powerful while inside it is rich in unimaginable and extraordinary masterpieces. The creative force that brought all the beauty and fame is the supreme genius of Michelangelo and all the amazing work he was capable of doing to come up with this artistic miracle. Normally, all the artists of that time used to complete their artwork being assisted by their assistants.

The master worked on certain parts personally while he left the apprentices to do the minor details (Forty, 2014). It is not the case with Sistine Chapel since all the beauty is the complete work of one person. When closely looking at the Sistine Chapel, the viewer may relate the chapel to the Basilica of St. Peter which was designed by Michelangelo with help from other artists. The Basilica is the main point of the Vatican and may be one of the great examples of Renaissance architecture.

Sistine Chapel is built using the design of biblical buildings. Although it has been in existence for many years, it was restored under Pope Sixtus IV’s patronage. Its layout and dimensions are based on the biblical descriptions of Solomon’s Temple in the Old Testament. The Chapel does not have a professional front door, and it has no way from outside or inside unless you pass through the Papal palace.

The Chapel has been synonymous with the artwork done by Michelangelo, though he worked on the frescos only, the rest of the Chapel was decorated by artists like Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, and Domenico Ghirlandaio (King, 2014). According to the movie ‘The Agony and the Ecstacy’, Rex Harrison and Charlton Heston maintained the myth that Michelangelo and his helpers painted Sistine Chapel’s ceilings while laying their backs on the scaffolding. Though the scaffolding was there, Michelangelo was not lying on his back and was standing.

Again, Michelangelo was not willing to work on the Chapel as he liked to sculpt. When he was called to work on the frescos, he had the intention to sculpt the gigantic sculpture of Moses, which was to be a quarter of the mausoleum tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo was tricked by the Pope to accept the painting commission. Finally, Moses was completed, as it is located in Saint Peter’s church today in Vincoli Rome though it is the only statue from original designs by Michelangelo for the tomb of Pope Julius II (Sayre, 2013). The findings in the research about the Chapel help in recognizing that the construction of the Chapel could not be done by only one person, Michelangelo. The first impression of being shocked by the artistic work of one human being is leveled by the fact that other artists also took part in the decorations. Read More