Pauline Chapel and Michelangelo

The Cappella Paolina was commissioned in 1538 by the order of Pope Paul III and completed in 1540 by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. The chapel served as both the chapel of Sacrament and Conclave. It was dedicated to the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, a festival to show particular devotion. Given the ceremonial and personal significance to the chapel, the Pope required the church be given special attention to its decorations, and he could think of no greater painter than Michelangelo for the job.
Michelangelo was still finishing up work for Pope Julius II's tomb when he was asked by the pope to start a new project. The project consisted of two frescoes to be painted on the side walls of the new Cappella Paolina (The Pauline Chapel), in the Vatican, just near the Sistine Chapel. This had been something voiced by Paul III before Michelangelo had even finished the last judgement. He had been urged to start the paintings earlier but Michelangelo did not agree with this. Michelangelo had quoted, "One paints with the head and not with the hands... until my affair is settled, I can do no good work." Michelangelo's tomb project got delayed due to an illness, pushing the frescoes to be done for the Pauline Chapel even further.

Inside the Cappella Paolina