A Brief History of Notre-Dame de Paris

Of all the cathedrals in France, Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) is the most well-known and beloved of them all. It has seen its share of disasters in the 850 years that it has stood staunchly guarding the Île de la Cité of Paris France. Even with its latest disaster, a fire that left a gaping hole in its roof and toppled the spire that was erected in the 19th century, could not bring her down. The "Grande-Dame" is noted for its abundance of sculpture, immense church bells (10 very large and heavy bells), and those iconic flying buttresses. It is the most visited monument in Paris, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an official French monument, and a study in art history. It also has one of the worlds largest organs. Further, the site where the cathedral sits has been home to four other churches as well as a Gallo-Roman (the Romanized culture of Gaul [France]under the rule of the Roman Empire) temple. It was built in stages and has always been in some sort of state of repair or renovation.

**Fun Fact**: The framework of the choir and nave are one of the oldest in Paris and are referred to as “the Forest”. This is because each wooden beam came from a different tree. If you were to stand up each beam individually, you would have a 52 acre forest!

However, in the April 2019 fire, ALL of these beams were destroyed. 😢

 Let The Building Commence!

 

Diorama approximating construction of Notre-Dame

The construction of Notre-Dame de Paris was the brainchild of the Bishop of Paris at the time, Maurice de Sully. He had observed the building of Saint-Denis, and had marveled at this new style of architecture, with its soaring heights, multitude of richly colored stained glass windows and spacious, light-filled interior. As with all the others, Bishop Sully wanted HIS cathedral to become the center of Christian worship, one that would be a world wonder, and in thanks he would dedicate it to the Virgin Mary (hence Notre-Dame, meaning 'our lady', referring to the Virgin Mary). The project got underway in 1163 with the laying of the foundation stone by Pope Alexandre III in the presence King Louis VII, Bishop Sully and a large crowd of Parisians.

Gothic architecture was in its infancy at this time and building was done by trial and error. For example, with the original plans, the ceiling vaults had been constructed without using the ribbed vaulting. As a result, the interior was rather dark due to the thick walls that were needed to support the massive ceiling. However, in 1220, the interior had its first renovation, with the removal of the massive walls after ribbing was installed in the vaults. This, in turn, allowed for the addition of more windows. Further, it was decided that transepts would be added at the point of the choir, where the altar was located, in order to bring more light into the center of the church. The result is what we see today, an open space that is filled with jewel-toned colors from its vast array of windows.

The Cathedral As The Urban Center

 

Notre Dame became the hub of intellectual life in France. Early in the 12th century, Peter Abelard, who was a great philosopher of the time, had begun teaching at Paris’s Notre-Dame cathedral school (established before the building of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, and precursor to the University of Paris). The school remained as part of the "cathedral complex" and as its reputation spread, people began coming to Paris to learn the latest in philosophical teachings. This also bolstered the cathedral's popularity. However, whenever cities "bloom and boom", crime and other "illegal opportunities" will bloom right along with it. And this held true for Notre-Dame de Paris. In 1215 Cardinal Robert de Courçon, Chancellor of the school, had imposed various statutes that would, once again, bring a sense of order to the university community. He instructed that this decree be delivered from the door of Notre-Dame de Paris.

Notre-Dame de Paris and The French Revolution

 

Notre-Dame de Paris had become a powerful symbol of Catholicism and its power in France. As the French Revolution began, the Grande-Dame of cathedrals suffered at the hands of angry anarchists who had had enough of the Catholic church's domination over their society. Enraged insurgents  ransacked the cathedral, removing paintings, statues (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), reliquaries, and furniture. They even destroyed most of the altars. They took whatever they could find that they thought had any sort of monetary value in order to fund their uprising. The 28 figures that made up the Gallery of Kings, which lined the west facade above the portals, were taken down, brought to the cathedral square and beheaded. The rioters believed the statues to be those of French kings, not knowing they were famous kings from the Bible. Lead was taken from the roof and used to make bullets, numerous bronze bells were melted down for use in making cannons, and the original spire that had been erected in the 13th century was removed. The cathedral had been turned into a warehouse of sorts, in order to store food for those fighting the civil insurrection. Later on, it had even been turned into an atheistic temple! 

 

Rebuilding a Monument

 

In 1801, a peace accord was signed between the government of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Holy See stating that the Catholic Church would once again take control of Notre Dame. Restoration work on the cathedral began as soon as the deal was in place. The building was cleaned up and its windows repaired. In 1804, Napoleon declared himself Emperor and had himself crowned at Notre-Dame de Paris. 

 

Original book title (c 1831)

This did not last long, however, as once again fate dealt an awful blow to the Grande Dame, and France, when Napoleon died in 1815. After that, pretty much everything went downhill. The country itself began to suffer and once again, Notre-Dame fell into a state of disrepair and disregard. But, by a stroke of good luck, a writer by the name of Victor Hugo wrote a book that was set in Notre-Dame de Paris called "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" (the name given to the English version). His purpose for writing the book was to remind people of the jewel that once was the heartbeat of their city. The book was about a hunchbacked bell ringer who lived in Notre-Dame, named Quasimodo, who fell in love with a beautiful gypsy named Esmeralda. His story gained such popularity that it reignited a passion for the now piteous cathedral. People had begun to have new interest in restoring it to its former glory. 

Enter one Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-duc, a noted French architect who worked on restoring other Gothic cathedrals such as Saint-Denis and Sainte-Chapelle. In 1844, he and his colleague, Jean-Baptiste Lassus (who died before completion of the project), were chosen by The Commission on Historical Monuments to work on the cathedrals renewal process. Viollet-le-Duc had suggested making two major changes to the interior: rebuild two of the arcade bays to their original 13th century height of four stories, and remove the marble structures and embellishments that were added to the choir during the reign of Louis XIV. The committee only approved the rebuilding of the bays, but then suggested building  two spires, one on each tower, which was quickly rejected by Viollet-le-Duc. Instead, he proposed rebuilding the original Gothic spire and bell tower over the transept, which had been removed in 1786 because it was unstable.

Viollet-le-Duc as St. Thomas

Once everything was agreed upon, the restoration work was able to begin. The bulk of the work focused on replacing the destroyed statuary, building the new spire, which would be placed above the crossing of the transept, repair the stained-glass windows and construct a new sacristy. Viollet-le-Duc also added some original touches to the cathedral. He decorated the spire base with statues of the apostles, with the face of Saint Thomas bearing a striking  resemblance to Viollet-le-Duc! (Architects and craftsmen of the time would often render a likeness of themselves within their piece of work, sort of like a signature.) He also added the now famous gargoyles, grotesques and chimera that sit high above, looking down on the throngs of people below. The entire project took 25 years to complete. But when it was done, le joyau de Paris (the jewel of Paris) was once again shining.

**Fun Fact**: In 1935, three tiny relics, an alleged piece of the Crown of Thorns, some bits of Saint Denis and Saint Genevieve (the city's patron saints), were placed inside a metal rooster, which then had been perched upon the tip of the spire. It has been said that this was done to create a sort of spiritual lightning rod that would protect those within the cathedral. 

 

The Fantastic Beasts of Notre-Dame de Paris

The infamous gargoyles....those hideous creatures that stare down from their perches high above the cathedral. What are they and how did they get there? They were a collaborative effort between Viollet-le-Duc and sculptor Victor Pyanet, as a part of the cathedral's restoration between 1843-1864. However, not all of these gruesome characters are gargoyles. So read on........

Gargoyles

The photo at left shows the gargoyles, defined as "decorative waterspouts that preserve stonework by diverting the flow of rainwater away from buildings". As the Gothic cathedrals proliferated, so did their need for drainage systems. And our intrepid architect had just the fix! Witness, the Gargoyle, or La Gargouille!

Viollet-la-Duc may have gotten the inspiration from the creatures who protected ancient Egyptian tombs and put it together with a 7th-century tale of Saint Romain and La Gargouille, a fire-breathing monster whose head was nailed to a church to serve as a waterspout. By pairing them with the superstitious nature of the Catholic church, they would be a perfect fit! By the middle of the 13th century, these monsters became a staple of the Gothic cathedral.

In addition to the gargoyles, there are Grotesques and Chimera. These figures have no working purpose, other than to keep watch over the cathedral and ward away evil. They sit on various corners, as well as having their own "gallery", La Galerie des Chimères, which connects the two bell towers. From their lofty perch, they keep watch over the city and adorn the cathedral with their one-of-a-kind silhouettes. Some have even adopted their own personality and given names. The most famous one being the Stryga, or spitting-gargoyle. The Stryga is a rather "playful" horned creature that sits with his head in his hands, sticking his tongue out. He even looks a little bored with the whole thing!

 **Fun Fact** Paris is Point Zero

 

Medallion embedded in cobblestone in square in front of Notre Dame de Paris

If you happen to look down as you stand just outside of Notre-Dame de Paris, you may or may not notice this small medallion embedded in the concrete of the Place Jean-Paul II. It is a small geographic marker that symbolizes the exact center of the city and the central point that all roads in France are measured from.

Unfortunately there really isn't a lot of information on this topic, so I am just sharing what I find. I thought it was something interesting and little known. However, I did find that there are several "rituals" that people do when finding the spot. These include:

• Leave a coin and make a wish! Point Zéro seems to serve as a wishing well
• Stand on it and bask in the glory of being the Center of all Paris! Rumor has it that when you stand on the bronze plate, you will always return to Paris
• Stand on it with your lover and share a kiss, ensuring that your love will last forever.

 What's All The Buzz!??! 🐝🐝🐝

Did you know that the cathedral is home to colonies of bees!?!? That's right! These bees were introduced in 2013 as a natural way to pollinate the gardens surrounding the cathedral, as well as  preserving the biodiversity of Paris. They were located on the roof of the sacristy, which is adjacent to the cathedral. The bee species in this hive are known as Buckfast bees, which is a hybrid bee, known for its lack of aggression. (The bees survived the fire in tact and have since been relocated.)

 

 Present Day

The moment the spire started collapsing

Unless you live in a vacuum or on a deserted island, then you have heard of the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris from back in April of this year (I briefly mentioned it when describing "The Forest"). It severely damaged the cathedral and as of today (07/26/2019), with the current heatwave assaulting most of Europe, there is still a slim chance that the cathedral could collapse. However, motion sensors put in place show that the building has not budged a single inch since the fire.


Talks are still taking place on how to repair it, how to brace it up temporarily, as well as what to replace the 19th century spire with. It is my hope that they will keep in mind the historic value of this cathedral and what it means to everyone. Here are a few links to recent stories to get you caught up:

https://time.com/5634240/notre-dame-fire-france-battle/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/07/25/notre-dame-paris-heat-wave-may-further-damage-fire-ravaged-cathedral/1824696001/

Netting spread over nave to catch any falling debris

Charring of façade (the blue coloring probably resulted from the pigment used to color the stained glass

Notre-Dame d'Amiens

Our next foray into the majestic world of the Gothic cathedral takes us to Picardie, France and Notre-Dame d'Amiens (Our Lady of Amiens). This cathedral was built in the High Gothic style between the years of 1220-1270. (Due to the many fires at Amiens over the preceding years, most of the written records pertaining to the church were destroyed.)

Amiens cathedral is one of the tallest, complete cathedrals in France, but is superseded by the incomplete cathedral at Beauvais. Amiens is the 19th largest church in France and has the second highest nave in France, at 177 ft, Amiens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a French Historical monument. It is most known for its spectacular artwork and sculpture both inside and outside.

Interesting fact: Writer Jules Verne lived with his wife, Honorine de Viane Morel, in Amiens from 1882-1900, where he wrote his series of "Voyages Extraordinaires" (which includes "Around the World in 80 Days", "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth").

Building A Monument

Amiens was the first cathedral to be created to house a sacred religious relic, the head of John the Baptist. The alleged head (as it was never truly confirmed that it was the head of John the Baptist) had been taken from the city of Constantinople in 1204, when the city was pillaged during the crusades. The relic attracted those who were deaf, mute and blind, those that suffered from “St. John’s disease" (now known as epilepsy) because they believed these relics were holy and could cure them of their ailments. Similar to Saint Denis, it could not hold all those who would come to visit.

Interesting Fact: The head of St. John the Baptist has been divided in half. The back half (or occipital) part of the skull rests at Amiens while the other half resides at Sainte-Chapelle.

In approximately 1218, the original Romanesque church was hit by lightning, destroying most of the building. It was then decided to use this opportunity to build a new, grand cathedral that could hold all those who would journey to the church. The bishop of the cathedral at that period, Evrard de Fouilloy, wanted his cathedral to be THE site for the center of Christianity, similar to Ste. Chapelle. His cathedral would become a magnificent stone Bible that would teach people about Christianity and the scriptures by relating stories and lessons through its art and architecture.

It has been surmised that construction of the new cathedral began sometime around 1220, under the guidance of Bishop Fouilloy and the architectural design of Robert de Luzarches. However, in 1247 a new bishop took over and decided to halt any further construction of the cathedral due to lack of funding. For more than 11 years the site had become empty, the partially built cathedral stoically standing, awaiting to be completed. Another fire once again marred the cathedral, this time in 1258. Fortunately, only the apse chapels had become the victim this time. But, once again, this fire proved to be a good thing for the cathedral, as people rallied for its construction to resume. It wasn't long before the choir was completed and the cathedral became operational, serving its grateful community of believers. The remaining construction moved ahead, with the building of the two external towers and by 1288 the spire over the transept was built, standing at an astonishing 370 feet!

Outside the Cathedral

 

The western facade dominates the cathedral with its magnificent portals that beckon those who stand there to come inside. But one could linger about just going from portal to portal, being amazed by what is there. The portals are so deep that they could actually be considered porches.

Gallery of Kings, Amiens

Above the portals sits the Gallery of Kings, a row of 22 oversized statues, which spans the entire length of the portals. It portrays The Tree of Jesse, which are those who are believed to be the lineage of Christ (His relatives from the Old Testament). Above that sits the rose window, with its decorative tracery. Above the rose window there is an open arcade, the galerie des sonneurs, or the Bellman's gallery. There are also decorative embellishments that were added in the 19th century by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, as well as the ornamentation on the arches on the Gallery of Kings.

 The Portals

The north portal is dedicated to Saint Firmin, a Spanish missionary, who founded the original church at Amiens in the third century. The tympanum tells the history of Saint Firmin, from the story of his arrival in Amiens, his work in converting people to Christianity, his martyrdom and the miracle of the discovery of his relics. This discovery of Saint Firmin's remains is the heart of the story of this cathedral. This is evident in the way it leads us to where the saint's relics are interned. They are in an ornately beautiful silver and gold châsse in the center of the elevated relic tribune, which is directly behind the main altar at the center of the sanctuary.

In the center, Saint Firmin stands in blessing on the trumeau between the two doors that lead to the north aisles of the cathedral. He is flanked by jamb statues of other local saints and martyrs.

The right portal depicts Mary, the mother of Christ, in several different scenes. On the trumeau, Mary is holding the infant Christ in her left arm, while she extends her right arm to the visitors. Below her feet she is stepping on some sort of half-man, half-lizard creature, symbolising that she is stamping out evil. She is wearing a crown, as she is the Queen of Heaven. Above her is a scene that contains the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to hold the Ten Commandments. On either side of the Ark are figures which we can assume are Mary's Old Testament relatives. 

In the tympanum above Mary are two stories relating to her life. The one of the left depicts her dormition (death). Being the Holy Virgin, Mary did not necessarily die. She lay dormant in physical space, but very much alive in Heaven. Which leads us to the right hand side, where we see her ascending into heaven, accompanied by angels, bearing her physical form. The top of the tympanum depicts Mary's coronation, as angels gently place a crown atop her head. This is yet another common theme in Gothic architecture and art. Mary was venerated and revered by the Catholics, as she is known as the intercessor between man and Christ.

The jamb statues in Mary's portal relates the story leading up to the birth of Christ. On the left is The Annunciation, where she is being told by the archangel Gabriel that she will bear the Son of God. And on the right, is The Visitation. Here, Mary is being visited by her cousin, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist while Mary is visibly pregnant with Christ. As we look at these statues, they seem more natural. You can see a hint of emotion, the natural draping of the material worn by the figures, almost in a three dimensional way.

Next is the large center portal, known as The Portal of the Beau Dieu (beautiful God). It is here that we see Christ represented in three different ways. As you look at the center of the two immense doors, on the trumeau, there is an elaborately carved statue of the risen Christ. This particular piece was done in the first half of the thirteenth century and is considered a masterpiece of Gothic sculpture. We see Christ holding a Bible in His left hand and holding His right hand up, perhaps in a blessing for those passing through the portals as they enter the holy sanctuary. The folds of the robes that Christ is wearing seem to bring the eye upwards, making the bible in His hand more noticeable. One could take it to mean that the answers we seek are within the pages of this text as well as looking to Heaven for guidance. As we look down, we see three creatures under His feet, a lion, a lamb (usually representative of Christ, however in this interpretation they represent evil) and maybe a snake. We see, yet again, the recurrent theme of Christ overcoming evil.

If we look up to the tympanum above Christ, we see Him portrayed in the Last Judgement. His hands are raised in a rather defensive looking way. On each side of Him are angels. The angels that are kneeling appear to be praying or praising Christ. The two middle ones are carrying the symbols of Christ's persecution, the cross and the spear. Next to Christ, are Mary and St. John. Looking further up, we see Christ portrayed in a scene from the Book of Revelation that says: 

"In His right hand He held seven stars. A  sharp two-edged sword
    came out of His mouth, and His face shone like the sun at its
    brightest". (Rev 1:16, NAB)

We can see Christ holding two swords at His mouth as angels float next to Him, one with the sun and one with the moon. This portal is a grave reminder to those entering the cathedral that what you do while here on earth can effect you in the afterlife, you will either be with the blessed or the damned. This concept is vividly illustrated in the register below Christ. On the right are naked figures, the ones who are damned, as they are being forcibly lead into the mouths of hell. We see the closest figures trying to escape while the hand of the devil pulls them in. There is no escape for those who have not chosen the "good path" in life. In contrast, we see the ones on the left, those who are "blessed", those who have lead a good life according to the precepts from the Bible. They are being gently guided into heaven by the angels. The angels above the blessed place crowns upon their heads as they enter. 

The Interior of Amiens

 

I. Where Did The Stained Glass Windows Go?

People who enter the cathedral are treated to a delight of the senses, with its ethereal feeling created by the soaring heights of the nave and choir, as well as the light pouring in through its many windows. One does notice, however, the lack of stained glass windows that usually proliferates Gothic cathedrals. This is most noticeable as we look up into the clerestory.

Originally Amiens had those remarkable stained glass windows, but when WW I broke out, the ancient windows were taken out in order to protect them. They were stored away and replaced with clear glass windows. However, as fate would have it, the studio where the windows were being stored caught fire, destroying almost all of them!(Methinks this cathedral is some how cursed...anyone want to make offerings to the god of fire?! LOL) 

II. The Choir 

The eastern arm of the cathedral is commonly called the choir, this is the area where the clergy sat and sang. Much of the remaining rows of choir stalls date back to the 16th century. They have over 4.000 figures carved into them! The ambulatory that surrounds the choir is adorned with multicolored sculpture dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. On either side of the ambulatory are statues representing two of the saints that patrons would flock to the cathedral to pay homage to, that of John the Baptist and St. Firmin.

One cannot help but notice the stunning Baroque era pulpit. It is made of marble and gilded wood and supported by three female figures, believed to represent the virtues of faith, hope and charity. These were sculpted by Jean-Baptist Michel Dupuis.

III. The Recumbent Bronzes

Much like Sainte-Chapelle, Amiens can be considered a very large reliquary because of the artifacts that reside there. Included among them are two bronze tombs, those of the ones who had established the cathedral. This is best summed up by this quote that I found:

"Two remarkable monuments of bronze, at the entrance of the nave from the western porch, were erected in memory of the founders of the church, Bishops Evrard and Gaudefroy. Upon the cenotaph of Evrard, the bishop is represented giving his benediction and trampling under his feet two dragons; round the tomb is a leonine inscription in Lombardic characters. The cenotaph of Bishop Gaudefroy d'Eu, on the opposite side of the entrance, and of the same material, differs little in its design and execution from that of Evrard. Both monuments were formerly placed in the middle of the nave, but were removed to the present site in 1762. Monuments of bronze are extremely rare in France, in consequence of the desecration of the churches of this kingdom during the eventful revolution of 1789. [p. 23, French cathedrals by Benjamin Winkles, Robert Garland, 1837]

IV.  The Labyrinth

The labyrinth has long been associated with a spiritual connection to God. They can be seen in several different cultures, including the Greek and Egyptian. The design is an ancient symbol that uses the combined geometry of a circle and spiral, and turn it into a winding path. It is used as a method for introspection, meditation and prayer. The labyrinth can be seen as the journey we are all on in life, finding just the right path. And much like life, It twists and turns, but never dead-ends.
 
The labyrinth at Amiens is connected to the labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral as it has the same arrangement of the path, as well as the same width of the path. However, it differs in the fact that the shape of the one at Amiens is more of an octagonal shape, whereas the one at Chartres is round. In the center of the labyrinth is a medallion that memorializes the construction of the cathedral. The inscription on the outer edge of the medallion says:

"In the year of grace 1220 was this work first begun. At that time the bishop of this diocese was Evrard, blessed bishop. And the king of France was Louis who was the son of Philip the Wise.  He who was master of the work was named Master Robert and surnamed de Luzarches. Master Thomas de Cormont was after him and afterwards his son Master Renaud who had this inscription placed here in the year of incarnation 1288."

The inscription relates the chain of master masons who designed the cathedral. The first being master mason, Robert de Luzarches, who laid out the plan that resulted in expansive spaces in the center of the cathedral. Luzarches worked with another master mason, Thomas de Cormont who finished the work on the upper nave as well as starting the work on the choir.  Cormont's son Renaud built the upper choir, and installed the pavement that included labyrinth.

Structural Faults

The race for higher and lighter often ended in disaster. We see this in both Beauvais and in Amiens. Engineering at that time was just burgeoning, and lessons were being learned the hard way. In the latter half of the fifteenth century, Amiens started to crumble. First, the large central bays began to fail. The main crossing piers that supported the massive vaults begun to buckle inwards at the level of the arcade, and was in danger of collapse. This was a result of insufficient reinforcement to carry the weight of the vault during the original construction. In order to fix this, a series of iron rods linked together, running the length of the nave, were installed. This was done while the rods were still red hot. As the iron cooled, the rods would tighten, similar to a cinch (think of pulling a belt tight). While this helped the situation with the flyers, there was more to come. 
 
The next to go were the exterior choir "flyers" (the arch that connects the buttress to the structure). This was because the buttresses were placed too high. As a result, the gravitational forces from the ceiling arch began pushing outwards, resulting in an excessive lateral load on the vertical columns. By now, the massive structure was in danger of collapsing. This was fixed by building a second row of buttresses underneath the original ones. However, this didn't completely fix the issue. Eventually large cracks started to develop in the walls of the arcade. If the walls continued to crack, the pillars would collapse, and the entire cathedral could come down in a heap of rubble. This was remedied by using an iron girdle to keep the columns where they were, as well as keeping them from buckling outwards.

 

The Life of a Cathedral

The life of a cathedral is fluid. The throngs of people who come and go through the cathedral now, mimic what life was like at the time of the cathedrals in France. However, at that time, people would come to the cathedral to venerate the saints, ask for intercession, celebrate the numerous feast days within the Catholic calendar, as well as attend market fairs that were held in and around the cathedrals. Now, those who come are mostly tourists. Though the influx of revenue generated by these tourists adds to the financial coffers for the maintenance of the cathedral, their presence no doubt adds unwitting damage to this graceful lady. But, she will probably still be standing long after we are gone.

 

 

The Sistine Ceiling

Within the vast complex of Vatican City, which is an independent city-state with its own governing body as well as the seat of the Pope in the Roman Catholic faith, is the famed Sistine Chapel (also known as the Venue of the Papal Conclave). The chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned its restoration in the late 15th century. Originally, it was defined as the chapel of the Vatican fort, known as Cappella Magna. The chapel serves various important functions, from celebrating papal acts to ceremonies of the Catholic rite, but its major religious role is that of the site where cardinals meet to elect the next pope. The Sistine Chapel is also the home of 2 magnificent frescoes painted by the famed Michelangelo, the Sistine Ceiling (as it is known by) and later, The Last Judgement. There are also works from other notable Renaissance artists, from the likes of Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, and Luca Signorelli.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was originally painted blue and covered with golden stars (think of the ceiling of Sainte-Chapelle's lower chapel). In 1508, Pope Julius II (1503-1513) commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the chapel, instead of leaving it as it was. The pope wanted the ceiling done in a " geometric ornament with the 12 apostles placed on spandrels around the decoration". However, Michelangelo suggested that instead of doing ornamentation, he would do a painting of scenes from the Old Testament. Although, at the time, Michelangelo had been known more for his work in sculpture (as he had recently completed his famous sculpture of the Pietá as well as his statue of David, both of which reside in the Vatican) rather than painting. But, never one to be daunted, Michelangelo rose to the challenge and went on to create one of the most famous fresco masterpieces in Western art!

The ceiling of the chapel is made up of 33 separate areas, each space containing a different scene. Each scene is divided using a technique called trompe-l'oeil (visual deception, especially in paintings, in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities), giving the impression that each painting is divided by physical molding within the vault. They are painted in monochromatic colors, creating a spatial effect between each panel.

In the center of the ceiling is a series of nine narrative paintings, depicting scenes from the book of Genesis. There are five smaller scenes, each framed and supported by four naked youths or Ignudi. The scenes start with the Creation of the World (Gen. 1) and end with Noah and the Flood (Gen 6:9). The subject matter was, more than likely, laid out with the help of a cleric from the Vatican (and seeing how this was the home of the pope, he wanted to be sure to get it right!) The entire project took Michelangelo 4 years to complete and took a grave toll on his health. He penned this poem, describing how his work was taxing both his body and mind:

I've grown a goitre by dwelling in this den–

As cats from stagnant streams in Lombardy,

Or in what other land they hap to be–

Which drives the belly close beneath the chin:

My beard turns up to heaven; my nape falls in,

Fixed on my spine: my breast-bone visibly

Grows like a harp: a rich embroidery

Bedews my face from brush-drops thick and thin.

My loins into my paunch like levers grind:

My buttock like a crupper bears my weight;

My feet unguided wander to and fro;

In front my skin grows loose and long; behind,

By bending it becomes more taut and strait;

Crosswise I strain me like a Syrian bow:

Whence false and quaint, I know,

Must be the fruit of squinting brain and eye;

For ill can aim the gun that bends awry.

Come then, Giovanni, try

To succor my dead pictures and my fame;

Since foul I fare and painting is my shame.

The main theme of the frescoes is that of the connection between humans and God, and nowhere is this more evident than in the panel, The Creation of Adam. We are given a breathtaking vision of the spirit of God embodied as a human form, reaching across the heavens, just out of reach of Adam, who lazily reclines on a barren earth. This contact point has previously been described as a spark or current, an electrical metaphor which would be unknown to those in the sixteenth century. Nonetheless, it seems quite a fitting description, considering that the lifeblood which is about to flow into the awaiting Adam is similar to the flow of electric current produced when a wire is connected to a power source. In this case, the power source being God. This particular piece is world-famous and has been reproduced hundreds of thousands of times. And we can see why. It is such a powerful image.

At either end of the ceiling, and beneath the scenes are Prophets and Sibyls (a female prophet or witch, a nod to the pagan beginnings of religion) seated on grandiose thrones that alternate along the long sides, while the shorter sides are taken over by the figures of Zechariah and Jonah (situated above the altar) who has a distinguished position in so much as he is the adumbration of Christ. The crescent-shaped areas, or lunettes, above each of the chapel windows are tablets listing the forerunners of Christ and their accompanying figures. Above them, in the spandrels (the space between the shoulders of adjoining arches and the ceiling or molding above), eight groups of figures are displayed (however, they have not been identified with specific biblical characters). The entire narrative is finished off by four large corner pendentives (a curved triangle of vaulting formed by the intersection of a dome with its supporting arches) each one portraying a dramatic Biblical story.

In 1510, Michelangelo decided that he needed a well-deserved break from this arduous assignment. Upon his return a year later, his style of painting had undergone a noticeable change. Rather than jumbled and multiple images within a scene, as previously done, Michelangelo had decided to minimise details and focus on essential figures, but on a grand scale. Also, he added a strong sense of emotion to the figures as well as dramatic gestures (as in The Creation of Adam). This would enable the viewer on the floor below to have a clear understanding of exactly what the scene was trying to convey. Further, when we look at the commanding figure of God in three of the frescoes, it clearly illustrates the separation of darkness from light, the creation of the heavens and the earth, all radiating its power through God's body.

The influence of these works cannot be emphasized enough. The complexity of design in the individual figures, both clothed and nude, displays Michelangelo’s skill in creating a variety of poses for the human figure. His stupendous works have turned the Sistine Chapel into a veritable academy for future artists!