Under the man there is a painted plaque that says "Hieremias"
This is Latin for "Jeremiah"
Behind Jeremiah there apear to be two women
The Questions
The Questions
Who is Jeremiah?
He was a prophet born around 650BCE
He was born and raised in a preistly family
God warned him of an attack towards the Israelites from the Egyptians
He attempted to tell the Israelites and was called treasonist liar
The invasion came and Jeremiah was freed
What is Jeremiah's expression?
The most common interpretation of Jeremiah's expression is that of anguish
No one heeded his warning about the incoming invasion and his city was destroyed
Jeremiah's hand seems to be in signum harpocraticum
This is a pose a hand covering the mouth and the index finger extended
Some sources interprate Jeremiah's expression as a reflection of Michaelangelo's won feelings.
Who are the two women?
The two women depicted are not actually thought to represent real people.
They contribute to the theme of sorrow in the fresco.
Jeremiah is often called the weaping prophet
Notes on technique
Technique
The portrait was done in buon fresco
Buon fresco involves mixing pigment in with plaster and using the plaster to paint. It is much more durable but the painting must be done very quickly
Michelangelo is often praised for his accuracy to the human form and rendering of light
The light is very dramatic anc clearly stand out
Notes on Context
Context
Pope Julius II is the one who commisioned the painting of the Sistine Chapel
He was often called the "Warrior Pope". This is because he put a lot of effort into unifying italy under the church
Pope Julius II liked funding grand projects that could show off the churches power and wealth
This is one of the reasons for the Sistine Chapel's construction
The motivation for displaying wealth could stem from the growing discontention between the public and the church. In 1517 Martin Luther published the 95 thesis
Pope Julius II
Final Thoughts
The pose and expression in the portrait is striking and is a clear example of Michelangelo's style
Given the background of Jeremiah it makes sense why he was chosen as one of the old testament figures painted