The Sistine Chapel is a favorite topic of mine. The ceiling is a masterwork of art, something that almost every person has at least a passing familiarity with and respect for. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is what most of us think of, but the walls of this ancient chapel are also covered in works from a myriad of Renaissance artists, each one a distinguished master of their craft.
Our eyes are inevitably drawn upwards though, to that magnificent ceiling. Covering an area greater than 5,000 square feet Michelangelo painted more than 300 scenes from the Bible, in vivid detail and color. We see it today in marvelous glory. Rarely do we ponder the amount of effort it took just to paint a space that large. We see the completed work and think of how accomplished the artist must have been. Little do we think of the road it takes to become a master of one’s craft.
Michelangelo was himself a prodigy, at the age of 13 he began his apprenticeship. He carved the Pietà at the age of 24. He began to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling at 33 (it took four years to complete). This was no aged man; this was a man in his prime. The venerable artist is not some withered old woman who has learned all of the secrets of her craft. The venerable artist is one who has applied herself to her work. She has constantly pushed her boundaries and sought to improve her skills with each new project.
When we think of the greatest artists throughout history we think of them as masters. Yet this is a bit of a misnomer. To master something is akin to learning all that can be known about a topic. Can you really learn all there is to know about painting? Writing? What about science or running a business? We will never be able to master our passions or know all we can about our dreams. They shape us as much as we shape them. An ever-changing source of inspiration. Michelangelo spent years and year toiling away under the tutelage of other artists. He added to his owns skills with their knowledge and continued to improve and grow as an artist throughout his career and throughout his life. He left behind some of the world’s most enduring and famous works art.
We cannot expect to become our best if we only occasionally dip ourselves into our dreams. Day after day we must strive to push our own boundaries. We must seek out new challenges, new projects to improve our own skills. The venerable artist shows that the dreamers must be willing to be a constant student and a patient one at that. We simply do the easy things in life; it’s the hard tasks, the impossible challenges that we dream of. We won’t get there in a day. We look down at the works our hands can accomplish now, but we look up at works like the Sistine Chapel and see what these hands can achieve. The road may be long and at times impossible, but keep going. You’ll get there.