Criticism on the frescoes for the Pauline Chapel

The frescoes done for the Pauline chapel were done for one of the artist's most discerning patrons, yet generally are considered among the least successful of Michelangelo's works. They are mainly criticized because they disobey conventional rules about composition, scale, and figural proportion. These faults however are greatly exaggerated when viewed from "ideal" frontal views which are most commonly shown in all prints and photographs. When viewed as Michelangelo anticipated, it drastically changes these "faults."

The paintings in the Pauline chapel stand out because of their incredible size, monumental figures, and surprising coloration. Michelangelo probably decided to work on the Conversion painting first because the East wall was far better lit. The light reinforced the narrative dealing with a bright flash of light. The lighting for the Crucifixion was never as good, due to re-modelings, the area's light was limited, only for a brief period in the morning did the light shine on it. It is a disturbing subject that is hard to grasp entirely, the dark plays with the story line just as the light plays with the other painting. The only time you can see all of the painting without having light shining directly in your eyes, is near sundown, the same time Michelangelo chose to represent the scene taking place. The painting is only fully visible when the actual light begins to match the conditions in the fresco. I found this particularly interesting that Michelangelo considered the exact lighting so carefully. 

Conversion of St. Paul

Crucifixion of Peter

On top of how Michelangelo carefully considered the way light would hit the frescoes in the chapel, he also took into consideration the shape of the structure. He took advantage of the narrow space and how the spectator would move through the chapel and be able to view the paintings. Photographs flatten the three-dimensional effects which he created, however they do show the changes in composition and proportions of the figures. In the Conversion of Saint Paul, Michelangelo places Saul on the left hand side of the composition. It appears off center when viewed frontally, but when seen obliquely, as Michelangelo planned for when people would see it in the chapel it looks correct. You see the action occurring and then a diagonal moves across the landscape which you can follow as you continue walking into the chapel. The action changes as you continue walking into the chapel, forcing the viewer to look back and forth at the paintings across from one another. Figures that are prominent from the door appear insignificant from the altar and vice versa. The paintings achieve a narrative consistency and and animation previously unattained in history painting. 

(William E. Wallace Narrative and Religious Expression in Michelangelo's Pauline Chapel Vol. 10, no. 10 pp 107-121)