How does Michelangelo's depiction of scenes from Genesis in his paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling reveal departures from what the biblical text literally states, and can these departures be seen as attempts by the artist to interpret Genesis in his own way?

There are nine scenes of Genesis frescoed in chronological order through the center of the chapel’s ceiling; with the exception of the Sacrifice of Noah, which was placed before The Deluge. The chronological order begins above the chapel’s altar with the Separation of Light from Darkness, followed by the Creation of Sun-Moon-Planets, Congregation of Waters, Creation of Adam, Creation of Eve, Temptation and Expulsion, Sacrifice of Noah, The Flood and ends above the chapel’s entrance with the Drunkenness of Noah. 

The Deluge

Michelangelo’s rendering of the flood in Genesis, or deluge, is often compared by many to The Battle of Cascina in which the nude figures are frantically searching for refuge from the violently crashing waves. The painting depicts people helping one another and their desperate cries for help manifests a sense of empathy for their suffering. When compared to the biblical text, the story of Noah’s ark does not mention the people awaiting their unfortunate deaths but instead focuses on Noah and God. What’s interesting about the narrative in this scene is the perspective rendered by the artist. Ironically, Noah’s ark is not the focus of the painting, instead your eyes must first travel through the pain and anguish of the figures in the foreground before reaching the ark in the background. In the ark, Noah appears to be holding out his arm from a window, perhaps calling out to God but there is no sign of him depicted in the painting. Could Michelangelo be attempting to represent a broader interpretation and understanding of the repercussions caused by this catastrophic event? Additionally, could these departures help us understand Michelangelo’s thoughts on this particular scene of the religious text and if so, could the shift in perspective contribute to a different interpretation where the focus is on a natural catastrophic event instead of one brought upon by God?

Sacrifice of Noah

The Sacrifice of Noah, depicts Noah behind an altar and while his relationship to the figures aren’t clear, it appears that his wife is standing next to him and the young men surrounding him are his children. In the painting, the young men are killing and preparing the animals to be sacrificed as well as bringing mounds of wood for the burnt offerings. According to Genesis, after God instructs Noah and the rest of his family to disembark, Noah created an altar and prepared the burnt offerings as well as the animal sacrifices himself but the inclusion of his family in this scene of the chapel is not mentioned in the texts. Moreover, the text states that when the smoke of the burnt offerings reached Gods' nostrils, he descended from the heavens, and explained to Noah that he will never again extinguish life from earth on account of humans for the reason that they are naturally predisposed to evil. In this scene, Michelangelo once more deviates from the narrative by not depicting God or his conversation with Noah and when taken as a whole, the combination of these departures leave an open-ended interpretation as to its possible meanings. Could the artist be attempting to redefine the narrative by shifting its perspective in order to challenge the biblical text? Furthermore, by including his family in the offering and excluding God, it changes the essence of the scene and it makes it more about a human experience after a natural catastrophe and less about an omnipotent force.

Creation of Adam

The Creation of Adam is perhaps the most famous scene from the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The painting illustrates the creation of Adam; however, when compared to the biblical text, the departures are far more striking. There are two mentions of creation in Genesis, the first is on the sixth day when God created man and woman in the image of god and gave them dominion over all the livings creatures of the earth. The second mention of creation is a detailed account of Adam being shaped from the dust of the earth and receiving the breath of life. In the painting, there’s a contradiction between the literal text and the painting’s narrative because Adam is depicted in a comfortable and effortless position while acknowledging God but not making the effort to reach out and touch him.  If this scene is meant to represent the creation of Adam, the relaxed position does not lend itself to be interpreted as a moment of creation. Additionally, the text states that God created man in his image and there’s no account of other individuals being involved in the process. Which brings into question, why is God not depicted alone and where did the large cloak which wraps around them come from? The individuals accompanying God could be seen as angels but they don’t seem to fit the stereotype. Also, if nothing existed before, why are they part of the scene? The cloak wrapping around them is in a peculiar shape and some believe the depiction is a representation of a heart or brain; nevertheless, if this is so, how does the symbolism affect the narrative of the scene? Could Michelangelo’s departures from the text represent a separation between God and man where God is not necessarily creating man but instead is a creation of man by his imagination? 

Temptation and Expulsion

In Genesis, after God created man and woman in his image, he gives them the Garden of Eden and allows them to eat from all but the tree of knowledge for the reason that consuming the forbidden fruit would awaken a sense of good and evil. When a deceptive serpent brought into question God’s orders, Eve was suffused with doubt and gave into temptation. Once Eve consumed the fruit, she gave it to Adam and although he hesitated, he gave in as well. After becoming aware of their nudity, they proceeded to dress in loincloths and hid behind a bush but God finds them and punishes the snake, woman, and man. The details are extremely important when analyzing both the text and the painting for the reason that it opens the painting’s narrative to a different interpretation. Along the painting’s central vertical axis, the snake is represented as half woman and is reaching over to give the fruit to a relaxed muscular Eve while Adam, unlike the biblical text, appears worried and pointing to God as if trying to imply the consequences thereafter. It’s important to mention that, although it’s unknown, there are many theories as to why Michelangelo depicts women’s bodies in a masculine form but this can be explored further in a future post. Furthermore, if the bible doesn’t assign a gender to the snake, could Michelangelo’s depiction have sexist undertones considering the place and time period he lived in? Additionally, on the right side of the painting, God is aggressively expelling a fearful Adam and Eve from paradise but they’re represented without their loincloths and there isn’t a bush in sight which could indicate they had been hiding when found. By omitting these details from the scene, could it be an attempt made by the artist's to hint at their innocence?

Closing Thoughts

When comparing Michelangelo's paintings to the literal text in Genesis, there are many departures susceptible to various interpretations and although his ideas and intentions were not made conspicuous to the general public, it is clear they were deliberate. Regardless of the meaning intended, we must appreciate the incredible artistic feat and continue contemplating with an open mind this masterful artist’s true intentions.