MICHELANGELO Buonarroti
(b. 1475, Caprese, d. 1564, Roma)

Ancestors of Christ: figures

1511
Fresco, 240 x 340 cm
Cappella Sistina, Vatican

The figures are in the triangular spandrel in the eighth bay between the Libyan Sibyl and Daniel. The spandrel is above the Jesse-David-Solomon lunette.

The absolute immobility of the enigmatic figure depicted frontally provides a triking contrast to the activity of the woman in the opposite spandrel. Placed precisely on the axis of the triangle, she appears to be deep in meditation and totally extraneous to the two figures - a man and a child - that may be discerned behind her in the darkness. In accordance with the lunette below, it can be assumed that Jesse as a child is depicted here together with his parents.

The bronze nudes, with their backs turned toward the viewer, seem to be looking upward, like those above the opposit spandrel.




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