Michael Angelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition Leeds

When you cannot go to Rome, Rome comes to you! This was the inspiration for this incredible art exhibition. 

Ever wanted to visit the Sistine Chapel with no crowds, and no neck pain from having to look up? Now is your chance.  The exhibition includes each of the Michael Angelo’s featured ceiling paintings. For me the best part was being able to see each work up close so you could see the amount of detail he put in. 

It was obvious that a lot of thought had been given to the arrangement of the large prints, most of which were the actual size of their originals. This made it a unique experience with the prophets, sybils corners and ancestors of Christ all displayed according to category rather than how they appear on the ceiling. 

The central images depicting the main events of genesis were carefully ordered in mid-air as they would appear in the Sistine Chapel, but at a slight angle so you do not break your neck! 

Similar to the actual Sistine Chapel everything eventually leads to “The Last Judgment” the fresco that is! When I visited the Vatican back in 2012, I could not see it through the crowds of people. Being able to finally see this magnificent masterpiece up close was truly spectacular and my personal highlight. 

It was incredible to see how Michael Angelo was able to create movement and form at distance a 3D image when considering the technology and materials available to him at the time and all against a translucent sky. 

There were a few things I learned whilst I was there. Firstly who the sybils were and that the coming of Christ was foretold by every ancient civilisation across the world. Secondly, “The Last Judgment” was commissioned and painted many years after the ceiling was complete when Michael Angelo was in this 60s. 

All in all a truly spectacular exhibition which had given me a newly found appreciation for Michael Angelo!