Michelangelo Paints the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

What happened

Commissioned by Pope Julius II, Michelangelo signed the contract on 8 May 1508 and laboured until the ceiling was unveiled on 31 October 1512. Across the vault he painted nine central scenes from the Book of Genesis — among them the Creation of Adam — framed by monumental prophets and sibyls seated on thrones.

Why it matters

One of the supreme achievements of Western art, the ceiling redefined what painting could accomplish and confirmed Michelangelo, primarily a sculptor, as the age's greatest artist.

Sources

• Vatican Museums. The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel · Reputable source