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Pico Della Mirandola's Oration On The Dignity Of Man

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Pico della Mirandola’s Oration on the Dignity of Man – a dialogue which celebrates the divinity of humankind – had a profound influence on Michelangelo’s The Fall and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, 1510-11, on the Sistine Ceiling. The Temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve were popular biblical references for several artists of the Renaissance, and served as distinct sources of inspiration for this painting. These interpretations by other artists, however, were largely homogenous in their depictions of Adam and Eve. Thus, one stands to question how Michelangelo’s The Fall and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden is distinct from other paintings on the same subject, and how he conveys the magnificence of humankind that is so heavily emphasized in the Oration on the Dignity of Man. Mirandola’s text offers further insight into Michelangelo’s vision of the painting, as both text and image contain numerous parallels. The way in which the painting strays from the text …show more content…

In Oration on the Dignity of Man, Pico della Mirandola questions what makes human beings so magnificent and unique, and accordingly what makes them worthy of great admiration. In the text, he states that after having created Adam, God says “Adam we give you no fixed place to live, no form that is peculiar to you, nor any function that is yours alone. According to your desires and judgment, you will have and possess whatever place to live, whatever form, and whatever functions you yourself choose.” He then continues this thought in saying “To you is granted the power of

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