The Sistine Chapel
Painted by: Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564),
History: The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from
whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be - and still is - the
pope's chapel and the site of papal elections. The Sistine Chapel was
consecrated and dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin on August 15,
1483.
The Sistine ceiling was originally painted by Piero Matteo d'Amelia, who
included a star-spangled sky. But in 1508 Pope Julius II della Rovere
commissioned Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling.
Michelangelo was called away from his work on the pope's own tomb and
was he not happy about the change. He had always insisted he was a
sculptor and was contemptuous of fresco painting. The result are glorious
depictions of human bodies that could only be created by a sculptor, and
the project Michelangelo hated so much (at least at first) ironically became
his most well-known work.
Michelangelo was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments
on the ceiling of the chapel. But as he began work on the project,
Michelangelo conceived grander designs and ended up painting more than
300 figures.
He worked on the project between 1508 and October 31, 1512, in cramped conditions high on a scaffolding and under continous pressure from the pope to hurry
up. The project would permanently damage the artist's eyesight.
Michelangelo was in his 60s when he was called back to the chapel, again against his wishes, to paint The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The work
was commissioned by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), forced Michelangelo to
complete it quickly. It was the largest fresco of the century and is still an unquestioned masterpiece.
St Paul’s Cathedral
The Great Fire of London presented the opportunity of a lifetime for Christopher Wren, and the young
architect did not hesitate to seize his chance. Within days of the fire, Wren presented a visionary plan to
King Charles II for turning the crowded shambles of Stuart London into a sunlight city blessed with wide
avenues and open plazas. The enthusiastic Charles liked Wren's ideas, but he lacked the money to carry
them out, and impatient Londoners had already begun to rebuild along the old street patterns. Instead,
Charles gave Wren the commission to rebuild the cities churches, including Old St. Paul's Cathedral.To
finance this rebuilding a special tax was levied on coal arriving at the port of London.
Wren's original design for the cathedral was rejected by the church as being too modern. The second
design, submitted in 1675, was a domed church in the shape of a Greek Cross. This, too, was rejected.
This time the reason given was that it was too modern and too Italian (read Catholic). The scale model of
this design, called the Great Model, can be viewed in the crypt of the present St. Paul's.
Finally in 1675 Wren gave the clergy what they wanted; a traditional English church design with a long
nave and spire. The king granted Wren a royal warrant approving this design with the interesting proviso
that the architect was free to make "variations, rather ornamental than essential". One can almost
imagine Charles giving his favourite Wren a sly wink as this was penned. On the strength of the Royal
Warrant Wren proceeded to quietly change just about every essential element of the design the clergy
thought they were getting. He got rid of three bays in the nave, did away with the spire, enlarged the
dome, and raised the aisle walls.
Much of this work proceeded behind scaffolding and protected from prying eyes. By the time the furious
clergy realised what Wren had done the church was too far gone to be altered.
When stone was laid for the centre of the new building, stones from the Old St. Paul's were used. Wren
noticed that one of the stones was marked with the Latin inscription "resurgam", "I shall rise again". He
had the word inscribed on the pediment of the south door, beneath a carved phoenix.
Portland stone was used for the bulk of the cathedral, and from the laying of the first stone in 1675 to the final touches in 1708, the cathedral was finished in a
mere 33 years. This means that St. Paul's, alone among English cathedrals, is the result of one man's creative vision.
The Good Samaritan
Artist: Christopher Le Brun ($1995 – 1996)
Commissioned: The Dean and Chapter of Liverpool
Cathedral
Location: Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral has incorporated into the fabric works
of art by contemporary sculptors and stained glass artists.
But it has in more recent years built up a worthy collection
of works of art, including paintings and sculpture by
eminent twentieth and twenty first century artists.
The artist has used traditional oil painting techniques for
the two paintings in the Cathedral which he took to
indicate the heart of the church’s message, with The Good
Samaritan representing Mercy and Compassion, and The
Prodigal Son representing Forgiveness and Homecoming.
Both pictures depict travellers and their journeys. These
paintings are intended to be part of the rhythm and unity of the building and also to complement the beauty of the choral music.
In this picture, based on Luke 10:30-37, the Samaritan is approaching from the direction of the altar. The road winds towards the inn and you see the light of it in
the distance. Walking towards it are the two travellers. The dark forest is a symbol of life’s complexity. The vertical tree trunks reflect the structure of the
Cathedral with its vertical columns and the design of the East window with its suggestion of branches. In the picture there is a lake behind the trees, while the
victim lies in the foreground stretching out towards the Samaritan whose horse is waiting to carry the injured man to safety.