Observations on the Ancestor Cycle of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling Andrea Pappas Santa Clara University, [email protected]
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Santa Clara University Scholar Commons Art and Art History College of Arts & Sciences Winter 1992 Observations on the Ancestor Cycle of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling Andrea Pappas Santa Clara University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.scu.edu/a_ah Part of the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Pappas, Andrea. "Observations on the Ancestor Cycle of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling." Source: Notes in the History of Art 11, No. 2 (Winter 1992), pp. 27-31. Reprinted with permission of the Ars Brevis Foundation, Inc. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Arts & Sciences at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Art and Art History by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANCESTOR CYCLE OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL CEILING Andrea Pappas The figures in the lunettes and window one of the sibyls, Erithraea, lives in Baby spandrels of the Sistine Chapel were liter lon.3 ally obscured for about 500 years. Now Although it is one of the most important that the frescoes are visible once again, events in the Old Testament, the Babylo scholars will turn to the ancestor cycle nian captivity lacks its own narrative with renewed interest.1 First, it has been panel, like Moses Leading the Jews out of noted that the distributional pattern of the Egypt or the Flood. Instead, a structural ancestor figures, which alternates across feature in the program—the break in the the chapel, is interrupted at the chronologi alternating pattern of the ancestor cy cal point of the Babylonian captivity, but cle—alludes to the captivity, which, how the significance of this break has yet to be ever, does not occur at the logical point explored.2 Second, the lunette figures have between the last king of Judah, Josias, and been related neither to the quattrocento the first captive king, Jechonias. Instead, it wall cycles (i.e., the Christ and Moses cy occurs between Josias and his father, cles) nor to the Biblical relationship be Amon (Fig. 1). The peculiar positioning tween the tribes of Judah and Levi. Finally, underscores the continuity of the tribe of over half the adult figures in these panels Judah and of Christ's line—a matter of are women, yet Matthew mentions only potential importance for Julius II. four women in his genealogy of Christ—in Emphasis on a second enduring tradi the opening chapter of his gospel. tion—priestly authority—appears in the The ceiling program abounds with refer relationship between these lunettes and the ences to the Babylonian captivity. For ex quattrocento frescoes on the walls below. ample, with the exception of Jonah, all the Zorobabel, in the lunette opposite Josias, prophets depicted on the ceiling are related receives command of the tribe of Judah to this story. Isaiah, who lived three gener from the Levite priests, just as Naason re ations before Josias, the last king, foretells ceived his commission from Joshua during the exile. Jeremiah, positioned over the the return from Egypt. Zorobabel is not a original location of the papal throne, is king, but a military commander, as is em friend to Josias; his Lamentations has as its phasized by the repetition of his name at subject the captivity. Ezekiel lives during the head of the list of the returning fami the exile in Babylon; Daniel's prophecy lies. Like Naason under Joshua and like begins there; Zechariah lives just afterward Moses, he leads the people under his and is prophet to Zorobabel, who rebuilds command out of exile.4 the temple in Jerusalem; Joel may similarly Zorobabel appears directly over The refer to these events; and the story of Ju Punishment of Korah in the Moses cycle. dith, in the corner spandrel, takes place The subject relates the consequences of the during the era of the captivity. And at least attempt of Korah's sons and other rebels to 28 Moses Youthof Decentfrom Punishmentof Testamentof Cycle Crossingthe Moses Red Sea Mt.Sinai Korah Moses 35 & 36 Conflict overthe bodyof Moses [16 c] Resur rection [16 c] Christ Youthof Callingthe Sermonon Givingof Cycle Baptism Last Supper Christ Apostles the Mount theKeys 1 Abraham 10 Salmon 16 Roboam 21 Ozias 30 Zorobabel 35 Achim 39 Jacob 2 Issac 11 Boaz 17 Abias 22 Joatham 31 Abiud 36 Eliud 40 Joseph 3 Jacob[Leah] 12 Obed 23 Achaz 32 Eliachim 4 Judah 5 Phares 9 Naason 13 Jesse 18 Asa 24 Ezechias 27 Josias 33 Azor 37 Eleazar 6 Esron 14 David 19 Josaphat 25 Manasses 28 Jechonias 34 Sadoc 38 Mathan 7 Aram 15 Solomon 20 Joram 26 Amon 29 Salathiel Fig. 1 Diagram of the Sistine Chapel ceiling with the wall cycles usurp Moses' authority, a God-given priv Dynastic power has its counterpart in the ilege. At the center of the fresco, the papal linked destinies of the tribes of Levi and tiara on the head of Aaron and the inscrip Judah. Renaissance thinkers drew the par tion on the triumphal arch in the center allel between the popes and the Levites.6 emphasize the source of sacerdotal power. The Old Testament relates the fortunes of In the corresponding position across the the twelve tribes, and the tribe of Judah is a chapel, Josias sits above the fresco of The dominant theme.7 The Bible generally Giving of the Keys to Saint Peter, which names the tribe of Judah first when listing depicts the founding of the Christian the tribes; if not, then the Levites—the priesthood. The conspicuous presence of priests—take precedence. The army com Josias and Zorobabel intensifies the notion mander of Judah often has command of of punishment for disobeying divine law other tribes, and it is the Levite priests who and its representatives, and legitimates bestow this authority. Significantly, this their authority. Josias and Zorobabel are honor falls on a leader who typically ap examples of obedient leaders, and their pears in the genealogy of Christ. A notable juxtaposition with the subjects of the lower example occurs during the return from scenes reveals this obedience.5 Egypt, when Naason is chosen to head the 29 families of Judah, listed in the census as whole arm and fingers toward the fresco the largest tribe.8 When the Levite priests below, as though to her son Levi or to her assign places of encampments around the great-grandson Moses. Her gesture seems tabernacle, Naason and his tribe receive to accentuate the relationship between the the eastern site, sharing it with Moses and two tribes and their leaders. Aaron.9 When the armies make their of The extraordinary number of women and ferings in the temple, the priests choose their significance to the meaning of the an Naason to make the first day's offering. cestor cycle merit close attention. Al Later, when the tribes set out from Sinai, though they comprise half of the adult fig the tribe of Judah proceeds at the head, ures, Matthew, the source for the names on with Naason in command.10 the tablets, mentions only four women in Just as the leader of the tribe of Judah his genealogy. The standard interpretation occupies a privileged place in the Old of the female figures in the lunettes as the Testament, so, too, do the Levites, who, as wives of the adjacent males runs contrary high priests of the Israelites, oversee holy to the Old Testament. Rather than in rela objects, sacrifices, offerings, and other rit tion to their husbands, the women in the uals. The hierarchy of the Levites positions genealogies of the Old Testament usually the descendants of Aaron, brother of appear as mothers. The typical pattern Moses, in the office of high priest. Thus, arises in Kings: a chapter begins with a the descendants of Aaron often share king assuming rule, and his wife emerges command with the leader of Judah. in the chapter devoted to his heir—as his The lost quattrocento fresco of the mother.13 Chronicles has a similar pattern: Finding of Moses may have represented women are not wives of kings, they are Levi, grandfather of Moses, for whom the mothers of kings.14 Thus, the primary rela Levite tribe is named. The other quattro tionships in the lunettes are not nuptial, but cento frescoes narrate several incidents in maternal, in keeping with the chapel's each panel, and there would have been dedication to the Virgin. Furthermore, all ample space to incorporate a scene in but three women appear with infants or cluding Levi.11 As the fresco directly be toddlers, and approximately half refer to or low the lunette that contained Abraham, explicitly depict nursing. The theme of Isaac, and Judah, as well as Jacob—father mothers nursing children recalls the Vir of Judah and Levi—that subject would gin, to whom the Sistine was dedicated, as have been consistent with the dynastic im a metaphor for the church. Lactation forms agery of the chapel. The female figure in a crucial part of this metaphor: "The divine the lunette probably represented Leah, the milk of Mary-Ecclesia . which will be first wife of Jacob, mother of Levi and Ju come the Sacred Blood giving life to the dah, who gave issue to the lines of Moses faithful."15 and Christ. Two cinquecento drawings of Three women in the lunettes and span the Abraham lunette differ from William drels diverge from the maternal type. Young Ottley's familiar engraving.12 Both Those with Aminadab and Naason, al show more of her figure, and one includes though young, have no children, while the her emphatic gesture.