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Sistine Chapel: Events in the Life of Moses by Botticelli

The Sistine Chapel was built by Pope Sixtus IV within the Vatican, immediately to the north of St. Peter’s Basilica, in 1481-1482.  Initially a number of early Renaissance painters were commissioned to decorate the walls of the Chapel, including Botticelli, Perugino, and Ghirlandaio.  The artists’ instructions were to paint the walls with stories that tell of the events in the lives of Moses and Jesus Christ.  Stories of Moses were to span the north wall, and of Jesus Christ on the south wall.  The stories thus juxtaposed were a sign of continuity between the Old and New Testaments.  Botticelli’s particular assignment was to create parallel frescos on opposite sides of the Chapel; one of Events in the Life of Moses and the other Events in the Life of Jesus Christ.  It is the Botticelli Events in the Life of Moses fresco that the Michigan Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums picked as their first restoration project.

To provide a little historical perspective, a few years after the commissioning of Botticelli and the others, the then current Pope Julius II engaged the famous Renaissance painter named Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Between 1508 and 1512 Michelangelo decorated he ceiling and upper lunettes with scenes from the book of Genesis and the Old Testament Prophets and Sibyls.  Not long after that (in 1516), Pope Leo X commissioned Raphael to design tapestries that would hang on the walls of the Chapel, beneath the frescos.  The tapestries were to visually describe events in the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  Then in 1541 Michelangelo was again commissioned, this time by Pope Clement VII, to paint The Last Judgment on the wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel.

Over the next 500 years several projects were undertaken to clean the ceiling and walls of the Sistine Chapel of the accumulations of soot and dirt (a result of candle smoke, air pollution as windows had to be left open, and people) and leaky roofs, aged plaster, etc.  Records show that in 1625 restorers wiped the ceiling with linen cloths and cleaned it by rubbing it with bread.  Someone suspected that glue-varnish was used to enhance colors.  Between 1710 and 1713 restorers reportedly used sponges dipped in Greek wine to get rid of grime and soot.  Another major restoration project was undertaken between 1935-1938.

Preliminary work on the restoration project that included our fresco was begun in 1979 and competed in 1999.  This time a comprehensive study was undertaken and detailed plans drawn up before any restoration began.  The ceiling and lunettes were restored first, followed by The Last Judgment.  These phases were completed in 1994.  Finally the plan for the walls of frescos, including our Events in the Life of Moses, was approved in 1994.  The work was completed in December 1999.

This magnificent fresco is one of originally eight works in The Stories of Moses cycle.  If you are standing in the Sistine Chapel and looking toward the altar, the Events in the Life of Moses is the second in line from The Last Judgment on the left. This fresco shows episodes of Moses youth, taken from Exodus.  Moses can be identified by his green and yellow robes.

  • Moses killing the Egyptian who had harassed and mistreated a Hebrew. Exodus 2:11-12 (bottom right)
  • When Pharaoh heard of the murder, Moses fled into the land of Midian. Exodus 2:15 (right center)
  • There he drove away a group of shepherds who harassed the daughters of the local priest, Jethro. Exodus 2:16-17
  • Moses helped the daughters to water their flock. Exodus 2:17 (right center)
  • Moses is allowed to marry one of Jethro’s daughters, Zipporah.  Moses lived in Midian as a shepherd. Exodus 2:21 (center front)
  • One day God appears to Moses in the burning bush. Exodus 3:2 (top left)
  • The ground he stands on is sacred so he has to take off his shoes.  Exodus 3:5
  • God tells Moses to lead his people from Egypt to the promised land.  Exodus 3:16ff, 12:37ff (bottom left)

The Vatican Museums sponsored a series of special events to celebrate the completion of the Sistine Chapel restoration work on December 9, 1999.  The International Patrons organized pilgrimages for the various chapters, and our Michigan Chapter was well represented.

Pope Saint John Paul II presided over the re-dedication ceremony and greeted and thanked each of the Patrons in attendance. 

 

In his inaugural homily after completion of the wall frescos, the Pope said:

“It would be difficult to find a more eloquent visual commentary on this biblical image than the Sistine Chapel, whose full splendour we can enjoy today thanks to the recently completed restoration. Our joy is shared by the faithful throughout the world, who not only cherish this place because of the masterpieces it contains, but also for the role it plays in the Church’s life. 

— Pope Saint John Paul II,
December 1999

 

Edmund Cardinal Szoka, then governor of the Vatican City State, and a proud Michigander, in his address to the attendees added:

“This restoration and the expertise of the restorers allows us to contemplate the paintings as if we had been given the chance of being present when they were first shown.”

— Edmund Cardinal Szoka,
December 1999