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The Sistine Chapel Ceiling Trivia Quiz

A fairly comprehensive quiz on one of the summit achievements of Renaissance art. NOTE! All questions are about the ceiling only, not the Last Judgement. Good Luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by jouen58. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
jouen58

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
120,201

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
13 / 25

Plays
1242

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. What was on the ceiling before Michelangelo began painting? Hint

A simulation of vaults and arches.

The ceiling was bare.

A simulation of a starry sky.

A painting of clouds and the sun.

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Question 2 of 25

2. Which Pope commissioned the painting of the ceiling? Hint

Pope Julius II

Pope Innocent II

Pope Clement IV

Pope Julius I

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Question 3 of 25

3. Which Old Testament Prophet is NOT depicted on the ceiling? Hint

Ezekiel

Amos

Joel

Zechariah

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Question 4 of 25

4. The prophets are alternated with five Sibyls. What religion were the Sibyls? Hint

Jewish

Zoroasterian

Christian

Pagan

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Question 5 of 25

5. Which of these Sybils is NOT depicted on the ceiling? Hint

The Cumean Sybil

The Lybian Sybil

The Persian Sybil

The Phrygian Sybil

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Question 6 of 25

6. What are the Ignudi (there are several of them, in various poses, prominently displayed on the ceiling)? Hint

Depictions of the unclothed Adam and Eve.

Figures of nude cherubs

Figures of male nudes

Figures of male and female nudes

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Question 7 of 25

7. Which Old Testament scene is NOT depicted on the ceiling? Hint

God Separating Light from Darkness.

The Sacrifice of Noah.

Jacob and Esau

The Drunkeness of Noah.

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Question 8 of 25

8. How many times is the figure of God depicted on the ceiling? Hint

Seven

Five

Six

Four

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Question 9 of 25

9. In the Fall of Man, what type of tree is used to represent the tree of Knowledge of good and evil? Hint

A Medlar tree

An Apple tree

A Fig Tree

A Pomegranite Tree

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Question 10 of 25

10. Which of the center Genesis panels has a piece missing? Hint

The Creation of the World

God Separating Light from darkness

The Drunkeness of Noah

The Deluge

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Question 11 of 25

11. The Sacrifice of Isaac, the Ascent of Elijah, the Killing of Uriah, and the Death of Absolom are all depicted on the ceiling.

True

False

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Question 12 of 25

12. Which is NOT depicted in any of the four triangular corner pendentives? Hint

The Crucifixion of Haman

Judith and Holofernes

The Brazen Serpent

The Judgement of Solomon

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Question 13 of 25

13. What are depicted in the lunettes (semi-circular spaces around the windows)and the corner spandrels? Hint

The Major and Minor Prophets.

The Apostles and Disciples.

The Parables.

The Ancestors of Christ

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Question 14 of 25

14. Michelangelo later removed some of his frescoes to make room for the Last Judgement.

True

False

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Question 15 of 25

15. Which of the Sibyls has a lamp over her head? Hint

The Cumean Sibyl

The Erithraean Sybil

The Persian Sibyl

The Delphic Sibyl

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Question 16 of 25

16. What type of boughs do the Ignudi carry on their shoulders? Hint

Boxwood

Laurel

Oak

Bay

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Question 17 of 25

17. What part of the ceiling was painted first and had to be repainted because the plaster developed mold overnight? Hint

The Deluge

The First Lunette

The Fall of Man

The Sacrifice of Noah

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Question 18 of 25

18. What is significant about the figure of the serpent in the Fall of Man? Hint

It has wings.

It is female.

It is depicted as a dragon

It has legs.

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Question 19 of 25

19. The Sistine Ceiling represents the first and last use of fresco by Michelangelo.

True

False

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Question 20 of 25

20. When was the ceiling begun and finished? Hint

1508-1512

1500-1515

1499-1510

1493-1507

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Question 21 of 25

21. Michelangelo had never even studied painting when he started the ceiling.

True

False

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Question 22 of 25

22. Michelangelo spent a great deal of time (and money) selecting the right colors for the painting.

True

False

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Question 23 of 25

23. Does Jesus appear on the Sistine ceiling?

Yes

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Question 24 of 25

24. Michelangelo was originally to have painted the Twelve Apostles on the ceiling.

True

False

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Question 25 of 25

25. The Sistine Chapel was named for a Pope?

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was on the ceiling before Michelangelo began painting?

Answer: A simulation of a starry sky.

Michelangelo painted over this previous fresco by Piero Matteo D'Amelia.

2. Which Pope commissioned the painting of the ceiling?

Answer: Pope Julius II

Michelangelo had been working on Julius' magnificent tomb; unfortunately, the money for that project ran out and the pope pulled him off that project (which was never completed) to do the Sistine Ceiling. Michelangelo, who considered himself a sculptor, not a painter, was reluctant to do the project.

3. Which Old Testament Prophet is NOT depicted on the ceiling?

Answer: Amos

The prophets depicted are Zechariah, Isaiah, Daniel, Jonah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Joel.

4. The prophets are alternated with five Sibyls. What religion were the Sibyls?

Answer: Pagan

The Sibyls were oracles of pagan gods, usually Apollo. Around the first century B.C. and the 2nd century A.D., writings purportedly by the Sibyls appeared prefiguring the coming of Christ; these are generally acknowledged to have been spurious.

5. Which of these Sybils is NOT depicted on the ceiling?

Answer: The Phrygian Sybil

The Sybils depicted are the Delphic, Cumean, Lybian, Persian, and Erythraean.

6. What are the Ignudi (there are several of them, in various poses, prominently displayed on the ceiling)?

Answer: Figures of male nudes

The Ignudi, who flank each of the central Genesis panels in groups of two, are generally assumed to be quasi-angelic figures.

7. Which Old Testament scene is NOT depicted on the ceiling?

Answer: Jacob and Esau

Jacob is shown as an elderly man in one of the "Ancestors of Christ" lunettes, but not in conjunction with Esau.

8. How many times is the figure of God depicted on the ceiling?

Answer: Six

He is depicted once in the Separation of Light from Darkness, once in the Separation of the Earth and the Waters, twice in the Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants (He is shown on the right pointing at the Sun and on the left, from the rear, retreating from the viewer), once in the Creation of Man, and once in the Creation of Eve.

9. In the Fall of Man, what type of tree is used to represent the tree of Knowledge of good and evil?

Answer: A Fig Tree

Although the tree of life is traditionally depicted as an apple tree, Michelangelo's is unmistakeably a fig tree.

10. Which of the center Genesis panels has a piece missing?

Answer: The Deluge

An explosion at the nearby Castel Sant' Angelo in 1797 caused a small part of the ceiling to fall away. A piece of "The Deluge" and parts of one of the Ignudi and a bronze medallion were lost.

11. The Sacrifice of Isaac, the Ascent of Elijah, the Killing of Uriah, and the Death of Absolom are all depicted on the ceiling.

Answer: True

These scenes appear in the bronze "medallions" between each of the Ignudi. Also depicted are the Murder of Abner, the Destrucion of the Statue of Baal, Bidkar and Joram, David before Nathan, and the Death of Nicanor. One medallion is not decorated.

12. Which is NOT depicted in any of the four triangular corner pendentives?

Answer: The Judgement of Solomon

The four triangular corner pendentives of the ceiling depict Judith with the head of Holofernes, David beheading Goliath, the crucifixion of Haman, and the raising of the Brazen Serpent in the desert.

13. What are depicted in the lunettes (semi-circular spaces around the windows)and the corner spandrels?

Answer: The Ancestors of Christ

The corner spandrels depict some of these ancestors in family groupings.

14. Michelangelo later removed some of his frescoes to make room for the Last Judgement.

Answer: True

Two lunettes depicting Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah and Perez, Hezron, and Ram were removed. These last two can be seen in contemporary engravings by Adamo Ghisi and drawings of the entire vault, now in the collections of Windsor Castle and Oxford University.

15. Which of the Sibyls has a lamp over her head?

Answer: The Erithraean Sybil

An accompanying cherub lights a lamp over the head of this Sibyl to illuminate the text she is reading.

16. What type of boughs do the Ignudi carry on their shoulders?

Answer: Oak

Garlands of oak, plentifully studded with acorns, are borne by the Ignudi as a design detail. Acorns and scallop shells are also used as a border design along the painted moldings of the spandrels.

17. What part of the ceiling was painted first and had to be repainted because the plaster developed mold overnight?

Answer: The Deluge

The plaster was too wet. Eventually, the right "recipe" was developed.

18. What is significant about the figure of the serpent in the Fall of Man?

Answer: It is female.

Although the serpent in the story of the Fall of Man is presumed to be Satan, it is represented by Michelangelo with a woman's head and breasts.

19. The Sistine Ceiling represents the first and last use of fresco by Michelangelo.

Answer: False

The Sistine ceiling was the first, but not the last fresco Michelangelo would paint; he would later paint "The Conversion of St. Paul" and "The Crucifixion of St. Peter" for the Vatican.

20. When was the ceiling begun and finished?

Answer: 1508-1512

Work began in July of 1508. The ceiling was unveiled in October 31 1512.

21. Michelangelo had never even studied painting when he started the ceiling.

Answer: False

He had studied with Ghirlandaio. (It would have been almost impossible for him to have done such work with no training.)

22. Michelangelo spent a great deal of time (and money) selecting the right colors for the painting.

Answer: True

The vibrancy of color on the Sistine Ceiling has been revealed by the recent restoration, however Michelangelo's letters from this period include numerous appeals for money from his brother to buy special colors, especially a certain shade of blue. Gold leaf is also applied "a secco" to some of the bronze medallions.

23. Does Jesus appear on the Sistine ceiling?

Answer: No

All of the figures on the ceiling, except for the Sibyls, are from the Old Testament. Jesus is, however, depicted prominently in the "Last Judgement."

24. Michelangelo was originally to have painted the Twelve Apostles on the ceiling.

Answer: True

When asked to do a fresco of the Apostles, Michelangelo replied "well, it will be a poor thing." When asked why, he replied "Because they {the Apostles} were poor men." The subject did not interest him. Contrary to the movie, however, he never began work on the Apostles.

25. The Sistine Chapel was named for a Pope?

Answer: True

It was named for Pope Sixtus IV, the uncle of Pope Julius II.

Source: Author jouen58

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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