Project 3: Michelangelo Mural Painting
Fresco is the “Mother of all Arts” because it is the most permanent but difficult painting method. The artist must work quickly before the plaster dries. There is no “erasing” so the artist must be confident in what they are doing. During the Renaissance in Italy Michelangelo spent 4 years on scaffolding in the Sistine Chapel, forced to paint it by Pope Julius II. By working day and night, every single day, he illustrated the book of Genesis from the Bible and completed over 300 muscular figures. It came at a cost: he lost weight, his health failed, and he was consumed by the work. Michelangelo didn’t want to paint it in the first place. His passion lay in sculpting marble, not painting.
Students will choose a scene to illustrate from the content of their Social Studies or World History class. Working in groups of four, they will design, sketch, and execute a painting on a large plywood board overhead . . . their very own “ceiling.”
