How is the Sistine Chapel different from other churches?

Answer 1

The Sistine Chapel ceiling and one wall were painted by Michelangelo. His frescoes have become popular modern prints, the unbelievably beautiful touching of hands or giving life. It is the only chapel that took so many years to complete, and restored about 6 years ago or so, and interestingly enough, when the grime was removed, one of the angels who was sent into hell had serpents wrapped around his torso and finally holding on for dear life to his private part. I found this interesting that the artist would give that sort of punishment, especially when the Pope had problems with the nudity in the beginning of the chapel painting. The Sistine Chapel is also different from other churches because it is where the Cardinals have always met to select a new Pope. The Chapel is also located in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Rome, Italy.

Answer 2

Michelangelo's work within the Sistine Chapel differs greatly from Medieval art at the time, mainly because Michelangelo Buonarroti worked in such a vast scale, and had a great amount of artistic freedom. The Sistine Chapel which at the time was the Pope's personal chapel was not open to public view. Inside, Michelangelo painted the entire ceiling and altar wall by hands. Using technological advancements such as scaffolding, Michelangelo was able to paint intricate figures by laying on his back.

One of the largest differences between Michelangelo's work and Medieval art is scale. Michelangelo was able to paint in a large scale as the Sistine Chapel was a permanent fixture within the Vatican. Other Medieval art that was used by regular citizens was on a much smaller scale including diptych's, triptychs, and books of hours. These smaller devotional artworks were purposely created on a smaller scale to increase portability.