The Creation of Adam

Artist: Michaelangelo

Title: The Creation of Adam

Date: 1510

Medium: fresco

Provenance: The Sistine Chapel, Rome

Source: http://www.italianrenaissance.org/michelangelo-creation-of-adam/

Describe:

People moving toward a center point in the painting. Adam and God reaching towards each other. The bodies are all twisted with emotion. They are separated, in isolated shapes, but connect in the center.

Religious art

Analyze:

There appears to be a diagonal line between the two squares, which shows separation and difference between the two "worlds". The two "squares" are on opposite sides of the painting; one holds adam, and one holds God. The colors in this painting are muted, natural tones. God is the only one wearing robes, in a pinkish color, which draws attention to him. The texture is smooth, almost like it is carved out of marble. The scale of colors range from a dark green (around Adam) to pinks and skin tones. He uses a complementary color scheme. This shows Heaven as a beautiful place filled with delicate colors and beautiful light. The positive space is where God and Adam sit, filled with a range of colors, emotion, and character. The negative space is between the two, which is a whitish cream color. The two sides are balanced, with Adam taking up almost as much space as God and all the angels. This highlights the importance of creation and human life. It's almost like two sides of a balanced scale. This light and dark point out the differences between Earth and Heaven. The focal point is where the hands almost meet; it draws your attention to the meaning of the piece and the importance of the relationship between God and man. Your eyes move along the arms to either side of the painting, in what almost makes a vertical line. Compared to God and his angels, Adam is large considering he is one single person. The proportions are like this because it shows Adam and God almost like equals.

Interpret:

When you look at this painting, your eyes are drawn to the space right between God and Adam. The use of line, their arms, bring your eyes to this spot. If you look closer, you notice how God and Adam are positioned. God is leaning forward with all his might. His arm is stretched out as far as it will go. Adam is leaning away from God, with his arm barely reaching out. God's finger is reaching all the way out towards Adam, and all Adam has to do is move an inch to meet him.

This symbolizes how we need to use the effort to connect with God. We are tentative when it comes to our relationship with God, but all we have to do is try to make the connection.

Judge:

I think that this painting is a great interpretation of creation. The artist draws your attention with value, shape, and line. It has an important message that is perfectly portrayed: if we want to connect with God, we need to put in the effort. The detailed people and emotion draw my attention to this piece. The message the artist was trying to portray definitely got across, and it makes the viewer think.