The Prophet Isaiah
by Michelangelo, 1509
StyleRenaissance
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 1509
- Medium
- Fresco
- Size
- 365 cm × 380 cm (12 × 12.5 ft)
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The Prophet Isaiah sits as one of seven male prophets painted this around the Sistine Chapel ceiling's perimeter. Michelangelo depicted Isaiah turning suddenly, as if interrupted while reading his scroll. A young attendant points to something off-canvas, capturing a moment of divine revelation.
Isaiah wears robes of blue and gold, and his powerful physique demonstrates Michelangelo's anatomical mastery. The prophet's face shows deep contemplation, appropriate for the author of messianic prophecies about Christ's coming. Each prophet and sibyl on the ceiling is flanked by attendants (putti or genii) who add compositional balance. Isaiah remains one of the most psychologically intense figures in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museums.
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About The Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah was a Hebrew prophet whose book contains prophecies Christians interpreted as foretelling Christ. Michelangelo placed him prominently on the ceiling's east side.
The seven prophets and five sibyls represent figures who foretold Christ's coming. The prophets come from Hebrew scripture; the sibyls were pagan seers believed to have received divine knowledge.
Michelangelo michelangelo depicted Isaiah turning suddenly, as if interrupted while reading his scroll. The work is executed in fresco.
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