Empires, Revolutions, Orbits

(excerpt from an essay in progress)

The more I look at reproductions of the painting, however, the more I see the obvious. The artist’s obsession with human anatomy. It’s such a distinctive characteristic of Michelangelo's work, and his mastery so great, it almost goes without saying. But the single-minded focus on the human body has also become something hidden in plain sight. What does it mean that Michelangelo renders every member of the celestial hierarchy in human form? Gods, angels, saints, sinners, demons—all too human.

After staring at a high-quality reproduction, day after day, something from the hidden chambers of my unconscious ascends, as if by a staircase, knocks on the door, and enters the light. I begin to think the first and last subject (or object) of the Sistine Chapel is Michelangelo’s mastery. The chapel seems a celebration of, even a temple to, his personal genius and creative potential. Man is the creation but also the creator. Isn't this obvious in The Creation of Adam? God is a man, and man is a god.