DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68668#0032
10
THE WALL FRESCOES
type. In the time of Sixtus IV. this was
more completely carried out by the paintings
on the altar wall, which, besides an Assump-
tion of the Virgin, as the central theme, had
on one side, the Finding of Moses, and on
the other, the Birth of Christ. The lives of
the founders of the old and new dispensation
are carried through, down to their death,
followed by a tradition in one case, which
answers to the resurrection in the other.
All the outline of the Jewish and Christian
testaments had been utilised, when Michael
Angelo came to consider how the roof could
be made to harmonise with the scheme.
How forcibly the rich conception of genius
strikes us as Michael Angelo unfolds his
plan: the creation of the world and its
preparation, from the earliest moments, for
the coming of Christ! He transcends the
first idea, while blending with it, turning a
not uncommon plan into one full of power
and originality. The Last Judgment and
the Saints in the rest of Paradise carried on
the sacred story; and when Raphael was
called upon to paint cartoons for the tapestry
THE WALL FRESCOES
type. In the time of Sixtus IV. this was
more completely carried out by the paintings
on the altar wall, which, besides an Assump-
tion of the Virgin, as the central theme, had
on one side, the Finding of Moses, and on
the other, the Birth of Christ. The lives of
the founders of the old and new dispensation
are carried through, down to their death,
followed by a tradition in one case, which
answers to the resurrection in the other.
All the outline of the Jewish and Christian
testaments had been utilised, when Michael
Angelo came to consider how the roof could
be made to harmonise with the scheme.
How forcibly the rich conception of genius
strikes us as Michael Angelo unfolds his
plan: the creation of the world and its
preparation, from the earliest moments, for
the coming of Christ! He transcends the
first idea, while blending with it, turning a
not uncommon plan into one full of power
and originality. The Last Judgment and
the Saints in the rest of Paradise carried on
the sacred story; and when Raphael was
called upon to paint cartoons for the tapestry