Detail view of the Sistine Chapel InteriorThe rather nondescript Sistine Chapel is undoubtedly the most famous structure in the Vatican--which enjoys around four million visitors each year. Completed in 1481 by Giovanni del Dolci, it is most famous for its amazing fresco programs. Contributors to the programs include such masters as Perugino, Pinturicchio, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio (Domenico and Benedetto), Signorelli, and Rosselli. Tapestries designed by Raphael also adorn the chapel.
The most important artworks there are the frescoes by Michelangelo on the ceiling and on the west wall behind the altar. Art historians have built entire careers on studying the works in the chapel--and there is a wealth of information about it. But...its true significance lies in the power of the images themselves. While nothing can ever take the place of seeing an artwork “in the flesh” -- anyone who has visited the chapel recently knows that its crowded and sometimes difficult to really appreciate all it has to offer.
The Sistine Chapel Virtual Tour is an excellent alternative to being there. You can zoom in on any detail you want to see, and navigate the entire chapel in whatever ways you choose. The music is lovely (so turn up your speakers) and the art is awe inspiring. This is truly a spiritual experience. So do visit. If you’re having a rough week--I promise this will make you feel better!
Monday, May 7, 2012 at 5:01PM 
La Primavera (ca 1482), by Sandro Botticelli (click photo for larger image)“Titles of old paintings tend to be modern inventions, coined by galleries or popular culture.... But very early in its history, Sandro Botticelli's depiction of the goddess Venus, raising her hand in blessing over a gathering of mythological followers, acquired the name it bears today: “La Primavera”. It's a lovely word, the Italian for spring – and there's a good chance this is what Botticelli called it when he first unveiled it to the Medicis in 1481.”