![]() This may seem a bit strange to us today, but great rulers throughout history have planned fabulous tombs for themselves while they were still alive to ensure that they will be remembered forever (think of the Pharaohs in Egypt having the Pyramids built). The first work Pope Julius II commissioned from Michelangelo was to sculpt his tomb (Pope Julius II’s tomb that is). Word of David reached Pope Julius II in Rome, and he asked Michelangelo to come to Rome to work for him. When Michelangelo had finished sculpting David, it was clear that this was quite possibly the most beautiful figure ever created-exceeding the beauty even of Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. 1513–15 (San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome) The Tomb of Pope Julius II Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of Michelangelo’s Moses. “Michelangelo’s Moses: A Text in Stone.” Italian Studies, vol. Looking at Moses, I can see the anger and frustration in his face, and I believe that it is the embodiment of God’s word as unyielding and ever-present. I do not know if I could change anything to improve the sculpture in relation to its emotional intensity. Michelangelo’s ability to create dynamic motion is unparalleled – a simple sitting pose is elevated by the shifting directions of the torso, head, and legs. This sculpture has made a strong impression on me both visually and emotionally. ![]() Personal Evaluation and Spiritual Reflections As such, this sculpture is intended to show the intensity of faith in God and the moments before Moses smashing the Ten Commandments. Moreover, his angered expression and tense pose are interpreted as a reaction to seeing the Israelites worship the false idol, a Golden Calf (Zirpolo 122). In particular, the depicted scene is taken from Exodus 33 and 34, where Moses returns from Mt. Scholars link the pose of Moses and his expression to the Latin translation of the Bible. However, Moses was likely chosen by Michelangelo along with other important figures in the establishment of Christianity. It is known that Moses was created as a part of a larger project – a tomb for Pope Julius II. The artists did not use any other techniques or materials, simply chipping away at the block and improving the sculpture throughout the years. Finally, Michelangelo took a mallet and chisels and started working on a block of white marble transported from a Carrara quarry (Zirpolo 42). Then, he most likely worked with clay or wax to create a model, although no confirmation for this particular sculpture was found. In this case, the sculptor started by drawing the tomb and placing the statues in their supposed positions. Michelangelo followed a similar process of subtractive sculpture when creating his works. Moreover, although the sculpture has proper proportions of the human body, its size and position create an illusion of grandeur. His left hand is tense, placed on his lap, while his head is turned to the left in what is described as a “violent twist” (Zirpolo vii). Moreover, Moses holds the hair of his long beard – described by scholars as “soft” and “feathery” (Fenichel 156). The prophet rests his arm on and holds the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments given to him by God. The torso, however, is turned to the right, to the side of his right hand. As a result, Moses looks as if he is preparing to stand up. The right foot is placed firmly on the floor, while his left is put further back, lightly touching the floor. The majority of descriptions of Moses note the dynamic nature of the prophet’s pose. ![]() ![]() Moses is depicted sitting down, but his position appears to be non-static. ![]() It is a realistic depiction of the prophet, although the man is not of average height – the sculpture is taller than 8 feet, and its placement forces the viewer to look up to see the prophet’s face (Zirpolo 185). Armour describes the statue as “a larger-than-lifesize, three-dimensional block of marble shaped in a particular, indeed unique, way into a human form” (18). Moses, similar to other Michelangelo’s statues, is made of white marble. ![]()
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