O King of All the Nations!

Michelangelo, Creation of Adam
Italian, 1508-1513
Vatican, Sistine Chapel

The sixth of the "O Antiphons", for December 22 reads:  "O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust".  It asks for Christ, King of the nations, to "save the creature you fashioned from the dust" which raises images of the creation of the first humans, Adam and Eve. 

Probably the most famous image of the Creation of Adam is that by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Michelangelo's conception of the subject both embraces the iconographic tradition and departs from it.

Michelangelo, Detail of Creation of Adam showing the figure of Eve

The most traditional element is found in Adam's reclining posture.  The departures from the tradition are found, first of all, in the dynamism of the figure of God, who zooms in from the side on a cloud, surrounded by angels, and bestows life through that dramatic synapse between His extended finger and that of Adam.

And, most non-traditional of all is the figure of Eve.  She appears, tucked under God's left arm, which she clutches as she looks with curiosity (and perhaps some apprehension) toward her soon-to-be spouse.1 

Earlier Images

Earlier images were more static, depicting God, generally unaccompanied, 

standing over the figure of Adam as He calls life into it.  

Andrea Pisano, Creation of Adam
Italian, 1334-1337
Florence, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

The Creation of Adam
From the Bible historiale of Guiard des Moulins
French (Paris), c. 1400
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 3, fol. 6v

Workshop of the Boucicaut Master, The Creation of Adam
From a Bible historiale
French (Paris), 1400-1424
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 394, fol. 5r

Eve did not make her appearance in creation images, except for those images that shows her creation from Adam's rib.  

Huntingfield Psalter, Creation of Eve
English, 1210-1220
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 43, fol. 7r (detail)

The Creation of Eve
From the Carrow Psalter-Hours
English (East Anglia), c. 1250
Baltimore, Walters Art Museum
MS W.34, fol. 21v

Richard de Montbaston, Creation of Eve
from Bible historiale
French (Paris), 1320-1330
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 322, fol. 11v

Creation of  Eve
from Weltkronik
German (Regensburg), 1355-1365
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 769, fol. 9r

Jean Bondol and Others, Creation of Eve
From a Bible historiale complétée by Guiard des Moulins
French (Paris), c. 1371-1372
The Hague, Meermano Museum
MS MMW 10 B 23, fol. 9v

Creation of Eve
From the Tafel van den Kersten ghelove (Winter) by Dirc van Delf
Dutch, c. 1400-1404
Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum
MS 171, fol. 25r

I rather like this little image, which is unconventional.  Eve appears to be diving into Adam, instead of being pulled from him.

Malergruppe A, The Creation of Eve
From a History Bible
German, c. 1424-1450
Munich, Bayerisches Staatsbibliothek
MS Cgm 1101, fol.  29

Master Francois and Collaborators, Creation of Eve
From a Speculum historiale of Vincentius Bellavacensis
French (Paris), 1463
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 50, fol. 20v

Michelangelo also painted a far more conventional image of the creation of Eve, also on the Sistine ceiling.   It is far more static and traditional than the amazingly dynamic Creation of Adam.

Michelangelo, Creation of Eve
Italian, 1308-1512
Vatican, Sistine Chapel

© M. Duffy, 2011

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1.  Steinberg, Leo.  "Who's Who in Michelangelo's Creation of Adam:  A Chronology of the Picture's Reluctant Self-Revelation", Art Bulletin, Vol. 74, Number 4, December 1992, pp. 552-566.  This article explores the chronology of attempts to identify the figures surrounding God the Father.