One of the most popular religious artworks of all time, "The Creation of Adam" was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1511 as part of Michelangelo's series of works there. It is presumably based off of Genesis 1:27 in the Bible, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him." The painting features both God and Adam, as well as many angels, and is meant to show this relationship between God and humans. Commissioned by Pope Julius II during the Renaissance Period of artistic expression, the painting was intended for the congregation of the Chapel and to attract visitors from around the world.
The primary subjects of the painting are Adam on the left and God on the right. Michelangelo has positioned them in identical poses, showing how we are the supposedly reflection of God himself. However, Adam, in his fabled ignorance, is naked, whereas God is clothed and wise. God hovers in the sky, whereas Adam is grounded on a rocky cliff. Both clearly inhabit separate realms, and, though Adam is certainly aware of God's presence, cannot quite reach him. This is a metaphor for Christianity and faith itself, how we believe we have a relationship with the divine but at the same time can never directly interact.
The light colors in the painting are an appeal to pathos. They engender positive feelings, as opposed to if it was stormy and dark. Adam sits in a green field and God is garbed in a pink robe and surrounded by a cloud of red. Nothing clashes and the background is even and smooth, suggesting feelings of peace. In Michelangelo's perception of creation, the world is simple and new, not yet tainted with the darkness of sin.
Michelangelo created a work of beauty meant to inspire faith with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Through his depictions of Adam's creation, he provides a representation that exceeds simply reading words in a Bible, and effectively achieves his purpose.
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