Description
The Prophet Jonah is a fresco Michelangelo painted around 1511–1512 on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, directly above the high altar: a young prophet throws himself far back and gazes upwards, while the head of a huge fish rises beside him. On the ceiling the painted field is about 380 cm wide and 400 cm high, far beyond any size we paint. Our painter makes it for you by hand and to order, in oils on canvas, in 8 portrait sizes from 40 x 49 to 172 x 200 cm or made to measure, and before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished painting.
| Title: | The Prophet Jonah |
| Other titles: | Il profeta Giona · Der Prophet Jona |
| Painter: | Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) |
| Year painted: | c. 1511–1512 |
| Original size: | about 400 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 Jonah – Michelangelo
What does The Prophet Jonah show?
At the centre of an upright canvas sits a young man with short dark hair and a sparse beard. His upper body tips far back, his head falls back, his gaze climbs upwards and his mouth hangs open.
He wears a short, sleeveless tunic of pale grey-green, with a dark garment showing at the shoulder. A white cloth is wound round his hips. His legs are bare, strong and spread apart: one foot rests on the plinth, the other hangs over its edge. Both arms are turned towards the left edge of the painting, the hands lowered, one forefinger pointing down.
To his right, the head of a great grey fish with a round eye rises from the background, close against the prophet’s thigh. Behind it are two children: the fair-haired one, dressed in orange, leans on the fish and looks down, while the other holds a hand to his head beneath a fluttering reddish cloak. Green, leafy branches spread above the prophet’s head. At the sides, pairs of white marble putti embrace on painted pilasters.
Who was Jonah, and what does the fish mean?
Jonah is one of the seven Old Testament prophets Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. The biblical Book of Jonah tells how a large fish swallowed him; he spent three days inside it before being miraculously restored alive.
Behind his back Michelangelo painted a large fish, which Wikipedia identifies as a tarpon, as a direct reference to that episode.
Art historians generally explain the place of honour above the high altar by the fact that Jonah’s three days in the fish were read as prefiguring Christ’s death and resurrection.
Jonah belongs to a row of twelve great figures along the edge of the vault: seven prophets of Israel and five sibyls, seers of the classical world. In the Christian reading all of them foretold the Messiah; they are the largest figures on the ceiling.
Why is this fresco so famous?
First, for its place: Jonah sits directly above the high altar, in full view of anyone entering by the main door.
Then, for the pose. The legs push forward, the torso pulls back, the head further still, and the arms swing to the side. These opposing movements give the figure a tension you feel even from far below.
According to Wikipedia, the painting of the ceiling between 1508 and 1512 changed the course of Western art and is counted among humanity’s greatest artistic achievements. If you want to read more about this prophet, the English-language Wikipedia article is devoted entirely to Jonah.
Where can you see the original, and how was it made?
The original is still on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, high above the floor and directly over the high altar. It is a fresco: Michelangelo laid the colours into fresh, still damp plaster, which locked them in as it dried.
He painted the whole ceiling between 1508 and 1512 for Pope Julius II, and Jonah around 1511–1512.
In the chapel, a painted putto below the figure holds a marble tablet bearing the prophet’s name. Our source shows Jonah in his painted niche, without that tablet.
At the far end of the chapel, above the main door, sits Zechariah, the first prophet Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. The bald old man with a long white beard, searching through a book, is the subject of our painting The Prophet Zechariah.
The Prophet Jonah or another Michelangelo?
The Prophet Jonah is a canvas painting for anyone who loves movement, daring and unusual viewpoints.
If you would rather have a quieter prophet, look at The Prophet Jeremiah: the old man sits with his chin in his hand, lost in thought. A young prophet at work over a book appears in The Prophet Daniel.
A twist of the body as bold as Jonah’s belongs to the woman in The Libyan Sibyl: the seer in a gold-yellow dress turns round and lifts a huge open book down from behind her. The rest of our famous Michelangelo paintings are gathered on the Michelangelo page.
How does our painter bring Jonah onto canvas?
To be plain about it: the original is a fresco, painted into the plaster of the curved Sistine Chapel ceiling, while ours is an oil painting reproduction of that fresco, hand-painted on canvas.
The painter starts only once you have ordered, and builds the painting layer by layer. First he lays down the diagonal of the body, from the thrown-back head to the bare feet, then the fish, the children and the painted architecture, so that the proportions hold.
The skin asks for the most care: bare thighs and arms need warm, soft transitions from shadow to light, the grey-green tunic and the white cloth cooler tones.
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, 64 x 76 or 72 x 85 cm for a hallway, bedroom or study, 90 x 107 or 120 x 140 cm above a sofa or sideboard, and 132 x 160 or 172 x 200 cm for a tall wall, a stairwell or a room with a high ceiling.
The Prophet Jonah comes in 8 portrait sizes (width x height): 40 x 49, 46 x 55, 64 x 76, 72 x 85, 90 x 107, 120 x 140, 132 x 160 and 172 x 200 cm. The fresco on the ceiling is about 380 cm wide and 400 cm high; our largest size, 172 x 200 cm, is therefore roughly half of it in each direction.
As a painting for the living room he is most convincing at 90 x 107 or 120 x 140 cm above the sofa. Because Jonah looks upwards, hang him a little higher than usual, with his face above eye level.
Can I order another size or a frame?
Of course. For a different proportion we recompose the scene without cutting off the head, arms, feet or fish. Even then this Michelangelo reproduction keeps the diagonal of the body, which is the heart of the fresco. Write to us with the width and height you need and we will quote a price and a lead time for this Jonah.
Jonah can travel to you rolled, on a stretcher bar or already framed. If you wish, our workshop in Slovenia stretches and frames it before it leaves. Our 3D app is only for choosing a frame; seeing the painting on your own wall is a separate service.
When will it arrive, and how is it delivered?
The painter begins as soon as you confirm your order, and within 15 to 45 working days the painting is ready to ship. Before we pack it we send you a photograph; if you want anything changed, we do it before dispatch. Delivery within Slovenia and the rest of the EU carries no customs charges, and every order is covered by our returns policy.
The Prophet Jonah makes a fine gift for someone making a fresh start, for a lover of the Renaissance or for a priest. Unsure of the size? A wall art voucher lets them pick it themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see the original?
In the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, on the ceiling directly above the high altar.
Why is there a fish beside the prophet?
In the Book of Jonah a large fish swallowed him and released him after three days; the fish is his emblem.
Is this a print?
No. It is a hand-painted copy, built up by our painter in oils, layer by layer.
How big is the fresco really?
About 380 cm wide and 400 cm high; our largest size is 172 x 200 cm.
Do you paint sizes that are not on the list?
Yes. Send us the width and height and we will quote a price and lead time.
How long does it take?
Between 15 and 45 working days, and you see a photograph of your Jonah before it is sent.
Does Jonah suit a living room or make a good gift?
Very much so: it is lively and bright, above a sofa or in a hallway.
What does the prophet’s upward gaze mean?
The fresco leaves that open; the figure seems surprised by something above.
- Subject: a young prophet leans far back and looks up; beside him a great fish and two children.
- Original: c. 1511–1512, fresco, about 400 x 380 cm (height x width), Sistine Chapel ceiling above the high altar, Vatican City.
- Ours: hand-painted to order in oils on canvas, in 8 portrait sizes from 40 x 49 to 172 x 200 cm or made to measure.
- Worth knowing: Jonah’s three days in the fish were read in Christian tradition as a sign of Christ’s resurrection.
