The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants

1511 Sistine Chapel fresco by Michelangelo

The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Vegetation

Artist	Michelangelo
Year	1511
Type	Fresco
Dimensions	280 cm × 570 cm (110 in × 220 in)
Location	Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Plants (sometimes The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Vegetation or The Creation of the Sun and the Moon) is one of the frescoes from Michelangelo's nine Books of Genesis scenes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. It is the second scene in the chronological sequence on the ceiling, depicting the third and fourth day of the Creation narrative together in one panel.^[1]^[2]

On the left side of the painting God is depicted from behind, extending his arm towards a bush, alluding to the plant world. On the right side another image of God points towards the Sun with his right hand and toward the faint Moon with his left. His face expresses the force needed for the creation of the abode of living beings. The abstract patterns of drapery emphasise the motion of both figures of God.

The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Plants is featured on the postage stamps of Vatican City (issue of 1994) and India (issue of 1975).

References

^ "Creation of the sun, moon and plants". Vatican Museums (www.museivaticani.va). Retrieved 2020-03-21.
^ "Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants". Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved 13 Jan 2014.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sistine Chapel ceiling - Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Planets.

Michelangelo

List of works
✻ attributed
†lost

Sculptures

Florence, c. 1488–1492	Head of a Faun† Madonna of the Stairs Battle of the Centaurs Crucifix
Bologna, 1494–1495	Additions to the Arca di San Domenico Saint Petronius Saint Proculus Angel
Rome, 1496–1500	Sleeping Cupid† Bacchus Standing Cupid† Pietà
Florence, 1501–1505	David Madonna of Bruges Additions to the Piccolomini Altarpiece Saints Peter, Paul, Pius and Gregory Pitti Tondo Taddei Tondo Saint Matthew Rothschild Bronzes
Tomb of Julius II, 1505–1545	Moses Rebellious Slave Dying Slave Young Slave Bearded Slave Atlas Slave Awakening Slave The Genius of Victory Rachel Leah
Florence, 1516–1534	Christ Carrying the Cross Medici Chapel Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours Night Day Dusk Dawn Medici Madonna Apollo Crouching Boy
Rome, 1534–1564	Brutus Florentine Pietà Palestrina Pietà ✻ Rondanini Pietà

Paintings

Panel paintings	The Torment of Saint Anthony Manchester Madonna The Entombment Doni Tondo Leda and the Swan†
Salone dei Cinquecento	Battle of Cascina†
Sistine Chapel (ceiling gallery)	Ceiling Separation of Light from Darkness The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants The Creation of Adam Prophet Daniel Prophet Isaiah Prophet Jeremiah Prophet Joel Prophet Jonah The Last Judgment
Pauline Chapel	The Crucifixion of Saint Peter The Conversion of Saul

Architecture

Florence	New Sacristy and Laurentian Library in the Basilica of San Lorenzo
Rome	Capitoline Museums Piazza del Campidoglio Palazzo Farnese St. Peter's Basilica Tor San Michele ✻ San Giovanni dei Fiorentini Porta Pia Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

Works on paper, milieu, etc.

Works on paper	Study of a Kneeling Nude Girl for The Entombment Male Back with a Flag Studies for the Libyan Sibyl The Punishment of Tityus Pietà for Vittoria Colonna Epifania
Milieu	Cecchino dei Bracci Tommaso dei Cavalieri Vittoria Colonna Ascanio Condivi Gherardo Perini Sebastiano del Piombo Febo di Poggio Luigi del Riccio
Related	Art patronage of Julius II Casa Buonarroti Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects Michelangelo and the Medici Replicas of David Replicas of the Pietà Restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes The Titan: Story of Michelangelo (1950 documentary) The Agony and the Ecstasy (1961 novel, 1965 film) A Season of Giants (1990 TV film) Michelangelo (crater) Michelangelo quadrangle

Art of the Sistine Chapel

Life of Moses

Moses Leaving for Egypt ¹
The Youth of Moses ²
The Crossing of the Red Sea ^3/4/5
The Descent from Mount Sinai ^3/6
The Punishment of the Sons of Korah ²
Testament and Death of Moses ^7/8

Life of Christ

The Baptism of Christ ¹
The Temptations of Christ ²
The Vocation of the Apostles ⁴
The Sermon on the Mount ³
The Delivery of the Keys ¹
The Last Supper ^3/5

Ceiling ⁹
(Gallery)

Scenes from Genesis	The Separation of Light from Darkness The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants The Separation of Land and Water The Creation of Adam The Creation of Eve The Fall and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden The Sacrifice of Noah The Flood The Drunkenness of Noah
Prophets	Jonah Jeremiah Ezekiel Joel Zechariah Isaiah Daniel
Sibyls	Persian Sibyl Erythraean Sibyl Delphic Sibyl Cumaean Sibyl Libyan Sibyl