The Surprising Truth about Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
And how it can change the status meeting you have today
One look at the magnificent frescoes that cover the ceiling and walls of this sacred space, and we know that Michelangelo was no mere man - he was a genius, an artist who devoted his life to creating his masterpiece with a clear vision and a passionate purpose.
But what if the reality was that he was both? An artistic genius, but also just a guy trying to get his day’s work done in a very challenging environment? Patrick Bringley’s book ‘All the Beauty in the World’ paints an interesting picture of Michelangelo that shows the artist as a man, before he was a genius.
The Sistine Chapel: Frustrating Work Project?
The Sistine Chapel is not a single work of art, but a collection of hundreds of scenes, each painted in a day. And Michelangelo hated almost every minute of it.
He suffered from physical pain, emotional stress, and artistic frustration. His back ached from lying on a scaffold for hours. His eyes burned from the dust and paint. His neck was twisted in an unnatural position. He felt unappreciated by his patrons and his peers. He made mistakes with the plaster, ruining some of his early paintings. He argued with the Pope, who pressured him to finish faster. He even wrote a poem complaining about his misery.
Michelangelo hated almost every minute of it.
But he persevered. He found beauty in the details, in the curve of a muscle, in the glow of a color, in the expression of a face. He immersed himself in his work, striving for perfection and excellence. He overcame his challenges and created one of the most stunning and influential artworks in history.
Connecting to your inner Michelangelo
Now I’m not proclaiming that we could live up to one of the geniuses of modern history, but I do think that there is something to be learned, knowing that the Sistine Chapel was a labour of love and of pain.
I can relate to Michelangelo’s struggles - I may not have to argue with the Pope, but I have sat through a frustrating meeting. I don’t have to redo plaster, but I sure have revised a deck over and over again. But connecting my work to my broader purpose can help me move through the daily struggles in pursuit of my bigger vision.
Exercise
What is your Sistine Chapel? Can you look at a current work challenge in this way, and see it as a piece of the bigger picture? Have you clearly defined your bigger picture so you know what you are working towards? Is it time to refocus on the goal and adjust your approach?
Ed. Note: To accommodate some extra priorities on my plate, moving forward, I will be posting bi-weekly, and maybe here and there when there is something particularly relevant or timely. Thank you for supporting The Purpose Project!