Religious Image

The image i chose is one on the Sistene Chapel. Specifically the image is a painting of God and Adam reaching out towards each other. It is one of the most recognizable paintings related to Christianity.

The painting is a symbol. Paintings carry meaning with them, as they are representations of parts of the religion. With paintings such as this, a religious entity such as the Sistene Chapel would have emit a more powerful and overwhelming impression on an observer. not only would the actual building have a meaning ( a place of worship), but they paintings would enable the building to express much more, such as religious rules, and examples through paintings.

Although this is a well known image, it is interesting to note that actual photography of the paintings in the chapel are not allowed. It brings an air of mystique to the image. This air of mystique emboldens the super-nature feeling religious symbols have. The fact that the image is in a chapel, depicts the actual image of God, and yet is not supposed to be photographed combines to create a symbol that is brought to the forefront of public consciousness and has become part of our culture. for example, there are many plays on this image