Frescoes above the altwall 1512

Michelangelo painted these frescoes high above the altar wall in the Sistine Chapel. He employed the ancient technique of painting directly onto wet plaster, layering mineral pigments to create a luminous, enduring surface. The fresco technique demanded precision and speed. Michelangelo and his assistants would prepare a section of wall, apply a layer of wet plaster, and then swiftly paint the design before the plaster dried. This required careful planning, expert brushwork, and an intimate knowledge of how each pigment would react with the lime in the plaster. The nature of the medium required collaborative labor, logistical planning, and expert skills in applying color. The physicality of the fresco process—the labor of preparing the plaster, the precise application of pigment, and the sheer scale of the project—is integral to the artwork's meaning. It reminds us of the immense effort and skill required to create these masterpieces, challenging any separation between the concept and its physical execution.