Description
The Prophet Joel is a fresco Michelangelo painted around 1508–1509 on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican: a powerful grey-haired prophet in a pink-lilac robe and a dark red mantle reads a long scroll that he holds open in front of him with both hands. On the ceiling the painted field is about 355 cm high and 380 cm wide, far larger than any size we make. We paint it by hand and to order, in oils on canvas, in 8 portrait sizes from 40 x 49 to 152 x 193 cm or made to measure, and send you a photograph of the finished painting before dispatch.
| Title: | The Prophet Joel |
| Other titles: | Il profeta Gioele · Der Prophet Joel |
| Painter: | Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) |
| Year painted: | c. 1508–1509 |
| Original size: | about 355 cm x 380 cm (height x width) |
| Original technique: | Fresco |
| Painting style: | High Renaissance |
| Located at: | Sistine Chapel, Vatican City |
| Our reproduction: | Hand-painted oil on canvas, 8 sizes or made to measure |
The Prophet Joel – Michelangelo
What do you see in The Prophet Joel?
At the centre of the upright composition sits a heavy-set older man with a high, bald crown and untidy grey curls above his ears. His head leans forward, his eyes are lowered and his lips are pressed together. A long white scroll stretches out before him: one end is still rolled in his fist, while his other hand holds the open sheet taut, as if his eyes were following a line.
He wears a pink-lilac robe with a square neckline edged in green, fastened on the chest by a round clasp. A pale blue band crosses his chest on the diagonal, and a white sash of soft cloth is knotted at his waist. The dark red mantle slides off his shoulder and covers his knees in broad, heavy folds almost down to the lower edge.
Two children stand behind him. The dark-haired one on the left looks down towards the scroll; the one on the right, with light golden curls, carries a greenish book under one arm and points past the prophet’s head with the other. On either side are white balusters and pilasters with marble putti, small figures of naked boys in painted stone. Below the prophet the ceiling also has a marble tablet bearing his name, which our reference does not include.
Who was Joel, and what does the scroll mean?
Joel is a prophet of the Hebrew Bible whose teachings are recorded in the Book of Joel. On the ceiling he is one of the three so-called minor prophets Michelangelo included in his cycle; the other two are Zechariah and Jonah.
His book foretells the triumph of Judah over its enemies and contains the well-known words that sons and daughters shall prophesy, old men shall dream dreams and young men shall see visions.
Why is this prophet so well known?
Critics often point to the rhythm of his pose and to the horizontal lines Michelangelo uses to divide the clothing: scroll, blue band, white sash and the edge of the mantle follow one another like lines on a page.
The face draws even more attention. It is said to be a portrait of Donato Bramante, the papal court architect who doubted that Michelangelo, with little experience of fresco, could manage such a task, and who, according to Vasari, nonetheless pushed the pope to insist on him.
In that face you read wisdom, a hint of disdain and intense focus at once, and the open scroll in his hands deepens the sense of wisdom. That is how the English Wikipedia article devoted to this fresco describes it.
Where can you see the original?
The original is still on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, a shallow barrel vault about 35 metres long and 14 metres wide. Joel sits on a painted stone throne along one of the chapel’s long sides.
Pope Julius II commissioned the ceiling in 1508. Michelangelo thought of himself as a sculptor rather than a painter and took on the work reluctantly, yet by 1512 it was finished.
The fresco was painted into fresh, damp plaster, and the colour bonded with it permanently.
At the far end from the altar, above the main door, sits The Prophet Zechariah, the first prophet Michelangelo painted.
The Prophet Joel or another Michelangelo?
The Prophet Joel is a canvas painting for people who love to read, write or teach: the man with the scroll is good company in a study, a home library or above a desk.
For another prophet who has just looked up from his book, choose The Prophet Isaiah. Livelier still is The Prophet Ezekiel, who swings round in a blue turban as if answering back.
If you would rather have a woman from the same ceiling, look at The Delphic Sibyl, where a young seer holds a scroll and gazes aside with wide-open eyes. All our famous Michelangelo paintings are gathered on the Michelangelo page.
How does our painter bring Joel from the ceiling to canvas?
Let us be plain: Michelangelo painted into the plaster of the vault, and what we make is an oil painting reproduction, done by hand on canvas. The technique differs, and what you receive is real oil paint you can stretch, frame and hang like any other painting.
Joel is painted only once you order, layer by layer. The painter first sketches the figure, the scroll, both children and the balusters so the proportions hold, then builds the colour from the dark shadows up to the light passages.
Most of the work goes into the clothing, which carries the whole composition: the lilac robe needs cool, soft transitions, the red mantle deep folds with warm highlights, and the white scroll clean edges so that it lifts off the background.
Which size is right for your wall?
In short: 40 x 49 or 46 x 55 cm for a shelf, a desk or a narrow wall, 59 x 75 or 68 x 85 cm for a hallway or bedroom, 89 x 105 or 110 x 135 cm above a sofa or sideboard, and 124 x 150 or 152 x 193 cm for a tall wall or a stairwell.
The Prophet Joel comes in 8 portrait sizes (width x height): 40 x 49, 46 x 55, 59 x 75, 68 x 85, 89 x 105, 110 x 135, 124 x 150 and 152 x 193 cm. The painted field on the ceiling is about 355 cm high and 380 cm wide, so much larger; even our biggest size, 152 x 193 cm, is narrower and lower.
As a painting for the living room Joel works best at 89 x 105 or 110 x 135 cm, where both children and the red mantle read clearly from the sofa. Hang it so that the scroll sits at roughly eye level.
Can I choose another size and a frame?
Yes. If your wall calls for a different proportion, we adapt the composition so that the head, both ends of the scroll and the children behind his shoulders stay whole. This Michelangelo reproduction keeps its horizontal rhythm in any format. Tell us the width and height you need, and we will reply with a price and a date.
Joel can come to you rolled, on a stretcher bar or ready framed. Our workshop in Slovenia stretches and frames every painting before it leaves. You choose the frame in our 3D app; seeing the painting on your own wall is a separate service.
When will my painting arrive?
Once you confirm, the painter starts, and Joel is ready to ship within 15 to 45 working days. Before dispatch we send you a photograph of the finished painting; if you want anything changed, we do it before packing. Within Slovenia and the rest of the EU there are no customs charges, and our returns policy applies.
The Prophet Joel makes a fine gift for a professor, a priest, an architect or a reader who will enjoy the story of Bramante’s supposed face. Unsure which size to pick? A gift voucher leaves the choice to the person who receives it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the original fresco?
On the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, along one of its long sides.
What is the prophet reading?
An open scroll; Wikipedia says it heightens the look of wisdom on his face.
Is it a print?
No. It is a hand-painted copy, done with brush and oils on canvas.
How large is the original on the ceiling?
About 355 cm high and 380 cm wide; our largest size is 152 x 193 cm.
Is Joel really a portrait of Bramante?
So it is often said: the face is thought to be that of the architect Donato Bramante.
Does it suit a bedroom or an office?
Yes, its mood is calm; it works just as well in a library or living room.
Can you paint it in a different size?
Yes. Send us the width and height, and we will reply with a price and lead time.
How long is the wait?
Between 15 and 45 working days; you see a photograph before it ships.
- Subject: a grey-haired prophet in a lilac robe and dark red mantle reads an open scroll; two children stand behind him.
- Original: c. 1508–1509, fresco, about 355 x 380 cm (height x width), Sistine Chapel ceiling, Vatican City.
- Ours: painted by hand to order in oils on canvas, 8 portrait sizes from 40 x 49 to 152 x 193 cm or made to measure.
- Worth knowing: the prophet’s face is said to be a portrait of the architect Bramante.
