Sandrine Ferrans -What’s Up? The Jesuits and Ceiling Painting in Early Modern Rome

The Sistine Chapel and the Sant Ignazio are two important frescoes in terms of subject matter and style. The Sistine Chapel was finished in 1512, before the Council of Trent took place in 1545-1563. The Sistine Chapel exemplifies the High Renaissance and mannerism with its emotion and emphasis on the perfection of the  human body. The ceiling of Saint Ignazio is the ultimate example of trompe l’oeil and quadraturra as well as following the decrees of the council of Trent. The Council of Trent was a meeting of Cardinals to clarify debated issues within the Catholic church as a response to the Protestant reformation. These meetings are critical to the history of art because they established certain decrees pertaining to art. The Catholic church found that the mannerist style was too sensuous, scandalous and too focused on the human form and nudity. They decided they wanted to simplify religious art, by reasserting the Catholic church’s triumph, power, and  righteousness. This lead to the Baroque, which uses drama, theatricality, spectacle, emotion, movement, and light to excite devotion and glorify the Catholic Church. The mannerist Sistine Chapel and the Baroque Saint Ignazio reveal to us the shift in style and subject matter after the Council of Trent.

The Sistine chapel (1508 - 1512) by Michaelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to replace blue dots on a ceiling in the apostolic papal palace. It is where the Pope leads mass as well as the room Cardinals elect the next Pope. Pope Julius II was the High Renaissance patron of the arts, wanting to rebuilt Rome as Caput Mundi. 

The overarching theme of the Sistine Chapel is humanity’s salvation through Jesus. It is a used as a reminder to diligently practice faith as well as to remind the viewer of the story. The Sistine chapel consists of Old Testament scenes alluding to the coming of Christ. The Old Testament scenes are painted on the vaults; the ceiling is not flat. The fresco are painted in chronological order starting at the altar. The biblical scenes are divided into three principal sections. It first begins with the The Creation of Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and Noah and the Great Flood. The design consists of nine scenes from the Book of Genesis specifically the Seperation of Light from Darkness, Creation of the sun, moon, and planets, Seperation of the Land from the Sea, the Creation of Adam, Creation of Eve, the Temptation and Expulsion of Adam and Eve, Sacrifice of Noah, the Flood, and the Drunkness of Noah.

What is truly significant about the Sistine Chapel is that Michelangelo divided the biblical scenes by framing the specific stories using illusionistic architectural elements. The framing of the narrative scenes is known as Quadro ripartito. Although Michelangelo incorportated architecture into the Sistine Chapel, it is not a true quadraturra. The painted fictive architecture does not truly open up the wall and create an illusion of depth. However, the faux architecture, similar to Saint Ignazio, appears to be extremely realistic. The architecture is very classical, which is characteristic of the High Renaissance with the rediscovery and incorporation of classical antiquity in Rome. In the center of the vaulted ceiling, using fictive architecture supported by Ignudi, naked youths. After the Council of Trent, Ignudi was considered controversial. 

The figures don't appear painted, in fact they look very sculptural. His figures are very mannerist. Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel embodies the Renaissance’s naturalism and perfection of the human body. For example, the Libyan Sibyl is dramatically turning her body so elegantly. Sibyls come out of the Pagan tradition; specifically they are women who predict the future. The movement and twisting of her body is exaggerated and almost unhuman. Michaelangelo emphasized and articulated every muscle in her body. She is reaching for the a book of prophecy, positively confirming the coming of Jesus.

The Sistine Chapel is revolutionary because it never depicts Jesus Christ, only the Old Testament to predict the coming of Christ. The Creation of Adam and Eve reminds the viewer that God created perfection within human beings. However, the Expulsion of Adam and Eve evokes the need for the coming of Christ for the salvation of humans. The central framed scenes are surrounded by the prophets and  the Sibyls who saw the coming of Christ. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is highly optimistic for bringing Jesus into our lives, saving humanity, God’s perfect creature. 

Saint Ignazio is dedicated to Saint Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus. The Glorification of Saint Ignatius depicts Saint Ignatius going to heaven along the nave of the church. It is very Baroque in the sense of the theatricality and spectacle. However, it is inspired by the Renaissance in which Pozzo is using painting as a window. Pozzo utilized a painting technique of quadraturra in which architectural elements are incorporated into the work to trompe l’oeil. It is difficult to tell where the real architecture ends and the fictive architecture begins, similar to the Sistine Chapel.The flat ceiling of Saint Ignazio appears to be another never ending realm. The illusionistic effects of the ceiling breaks down the barrier of our physical earthly world and heaven. Making the viewer feel closer to heaven and uplifted inspires faith and devotion, which is very important to the Catholic Church during the Counter Reformation.

The four corners of the ceiling depict the four different continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, and America), referring to St. Ignatius’s mission. Saint Ignatius wanted to help souls, expand the Catholic religion , and inspire faith and devotion through means of education and missionaries all around the world. The names of the continents are inscribed on the corners, surrounded by angels. The angels are dynamically fighting other human figures, which is a direct reference to the Protestant Reformation. The angels represent the Catholic church and Jesuits’ mission, while the earthly figures portray the Protestants and heretics. This symbolism is extremely significant during the Counter Reformation because the Catholic church is reclaiming their righteousness and power. The Catholic religion is triumphing over Protestants and heretics, and are the way to transcend to a heavenly realm.

Pozzo used the church’s clerestory to his advantage, and painted arches and columns above them. Using natural lighting is characteristic of the Baroque. These arches and columns evoke Roman classical antiquity, a phase in history that is never truly lost. It is almost impossible to differentiate the real architecture from the painted architecture. One end of the nave is a real window bringing in natural light, is an angel shield with the name of Jesus, bringing in rays of heaven into the scene, representing the divine love of Christ. The other end of the vault, is consists of angels triumphing over heretics, again referring to the counter reformation. The symbolism glorifies the Catholics and condemn those who turned away from the church. 

My favorite part of Saint Ignazio is the painted dome on the flat ceiling. It is the ultimate example of trompe l’oeil as well as linear perspective. Saint Ignazio was supposed to have a dome built upon the crossing square of the church (where the nave and transept meet), but the dome could not be realized. Thus, Pozzo decided to create an illusion of a dome on the ceiling; and this is the ultimate quadraturra.  The painted dome appears so real, and after I was told that the dome was painted I still could not believe it. It creates an illusion of space above even above the flat surface. It is meant to be viewed at a specific angle for the full illusionistic effects, but even looking at it from another angle it still appears real. It is truly amazing. 

Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel embodies the High Renaissance, in which intellect, rationality, emotion, and the perfection of the human body are emphasized. The figures are highly sculptural and elegant. The fresco is revolutionary in which the narrative scenes are separated by framed illusionistic architectural elements. The Sistine Chapel is a prime example of art before the Council of Trent, such as the use of Ignudi. The content of the ceiling is also significant because it never depicts Christ, but rather alludes to his arrival to the human world. The subject matter is very optimistic and uplifting. Pozzo’s ceiling in the Saint Ignazio exemplifies the Baroque with its theatricality, dynamism, and illusionism. The ceiling is a direct reference to the counter reformation and the glory of the Catholic church. The figures are less exaggerated and sculptural as well as being more clothed and conservative. The illusionism created by Pozzo is unreal, showing advancements in linear perspective. Overall, Sant Ignazio is not only extremely beautiful but also embodies the Jesuit’s mission, to teach and expand the Catholic religion. Comparing the Sistine Chapel to Sant Ignazio shows the shift in art during the Counter Reformation. The importance of both of these frescoes cannot be overstated.

By Sandrine Ferrans