Michelangelo was a Terrible Choice for the Sistine Chapel
How did a sculptor with almost no painting experience create one of the Renaissance’s greatest masterpieces?
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel kicks ass.
I’ve seen it in person, and that iconic image of God reaching toward Adam’s outstretched fingertips deserves to be on every fridge magnet and novelty t-shirt in the world.
But the story of how Michelangelo—a sculptor with almost no experience as a painter — was finally convinced to paint the vault of the Sistine Chapel can teach you a lot about how to get paid for your work, the winding path of a creative career, and how to succeed as an artist even when other creators try to tear you down.
Because while the Sistine Chapel is undoubtedly one of Europe’s greatest artistic masterpieces, the story of how it came together is an absolute dumpster fire, filled with jealousy, betrayal, huge sums of money, imposter syndrome, and an artist who just wanted to — literally—keep a roof over his head.
