The Prophet Ezekiel, from "Prophets and Sibyls in the Sistine Chapel"
Medium
Engraving; third state of five (BLL)
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 22 1/8 × 17 1/8 in. (56.2 × 43.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.3(6)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the Prophet Ezekiel, a stunning engraving that faithfully reproduces Michelangelo Buonarroti's fresco from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, completed between 1508 and 1512. In this iconic image, Ezekiel stands as a towering figure of prophetic intensity, his muscular nude form twisting dynamically amid swirling drapery and prophetic scrolls. Michelangelo's prophets and sibyls, like Ezekiel, frame the chapel's narrative of Genesis, symbolizing divine inspiration and the bridge between Old Testament prophecy and Christian salvation—a pinnacle of High Renaissance humanism and anatomical prowess. Crafted by master engraver Giorgio Ghisi after Michelangelo's design, and published by Nicolaus van Aelst around 1570–75, this print represents the third state of five, showcasing progressive refinements in line work and shading (per the BLL catalog). Engravings were revolutionary in the 16th century, democratizing access to Vatican masterpieces for collectors and artists across Europe, as travel to Rome was arduous. The intricate burin technique captures Michelangelo's sculptural volume and energy on a grand scale—22⅛ × 17⅛ inches—preserving his vision in a portable medium. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926), this work highlights the collaborative genius of Renaissance reproduction, inviting us to marvel at Ezekiel's fervent gaze and the enduring power of prophetic art.
About the Artist
Giorgio Ghisi|Michelangelo Buonarroti|Nicolaus van Aelst · 1520–1582
Giorgio Ghisi (c. 1520–1582) was one of the most accomplished engravers of the Italian Renaissance, renowned for translating the monumental compositions of Raphael, Giulio Romano, and Michelangelo into the exacting medium of the burin. Born in Mantua, he trained in an environment shaped by the legacy of Giulio Romano's decoration of the Palazzo del Te, and the grandeur of that Mannerist tradition ...