2792) "The Creation of Adam" (Italian: "Creazione di Adamo"), The Vatican: The "Commercializzazione Filatelica e Numismatica" (CFN) has issued a 20 Euro Copper Coin minted by the IPZS, Italy depicting this masterpiece by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti (1475–1564) in the Sistine Chapel: Date/Year of Coin issue: 13.04.2023:
The Header/Banner showcases the Reverse and Obverse of the 20 Euro Copper Coin against a background representation of the painting titled "Creation of Adam" ("Creazione di Adamo")
The Commercializzazione Filatelica e Numismatica (CFN) - the Vatican State Mint - on behalf of The Holy See, has issued a Copper Coin, minted by the IPZS, Italy in its “Art and Faith Coin Series" by dedicating a 20 Euro Coin to Michelangelo’s "The Creation of Adam".
The "Creation of Adam" is a fresco painting by Italian artist Michelangelo, which forms part of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, painted c. 1508–1512.
It illustrates the Biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives life to Adam, the first man. The fresco is part of a complex iconographic scheme and is chronologically the fourth in the series of panels depicting episodes from Genesis.
The painting has been reproduced in countless imitations and parodies. Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam" is one of the most replicated religious paintings of all time.
Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; the work took approximately four years to complete (1508–1512).
In 1505, Michelangelo was invited back to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II. He was commissioned to build the Pope's tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years.
Under the patronage of the Pope, Michelangelo experienced constant interruptions to his work on the tomb in order to accomplish numerous other tasks. Although Michelangelo worked on the tomb for 40 years, it was never finished to his satisfaction.
It is located in the Church of S. Pietro in Vincoli in Rome and is most famous for his central figure of Moses, completed in 1516.
Of the other statues intended for the tomb, two known as the "Rebellious Slave" and the "Dying Slave", are now in the Louvre.
During the same period, Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took approximately four years to complete (1508–1512).
According to one account, Bramante, who was working on the building of St Peter's Basilica, resented Michelangelo's commission for the Pope's tomb and convinced the Pope to commission him in a medium with which he was unfamiliar, in order that he might fail at the task.
Michelangelo was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the triangular pendentives that supported the ceiling and cover the central part of the ceiling with ornament.
Michelangelo persuaded Pope Julius to give him a free hand and proposed a different and more complex scheme, representing the "Creation", the "Fall of Man", the "Promise of Salvation" through the prophets, and the "Genealogy of Christ". The work is part of a larger scheme of decoration within the chapel which represents much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church.
The composition stretches over 500 square metres of ceiling, and contains over 300 figures.
At its centre are nine episodes from the Book of Genesis, divided into three groups -
i) "God's Creation of the Earth"
ii) "God's Creation of Humankind and their fall from God's Grace" and
iii) "The State of Humanity" (as represented by Noah and his family).
On the pendentives supporting the ceiling are painted twelve men and women who prophesied the coming of Jesus - seven prophets of Israel and five Sibyls, prophetic women of the Classical world.
Among the most famous paintings on the ceiling are - "The Creation of Adam", "Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden", "The Deluge", "The Prophet Jeremiah" and "The Cumaean Sibyl".
The Creation of Adam painting:
The "Creation of Adam" is one of the most prolifically replicated or copied works of religious art of all time, the fresco was painted by Renaissance artist Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti (1475–1564) which illustrates the Biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives life to Adam, the first man.
This fresco was painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti around 1511 and is part of the vault of the Sistine Chapel.
Adam, lying on the ground, turns his gaze toward the Creator by extending his left hand toward Him. God, suspended in a cloud, extends His right hand towards Adam in the act of giving him life.
God is depicted as an elderly, white-bearded man, wrapped in a swirling cloak while Adam, on the lower left, is completely naked.
God's right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his own finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God's, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26).
Many hypotheses have been formulated regarding the identity and meaning of the twelve figures around God. One interpretation suggests that the person protected by God's left arm represents Eve (due to the figure's feminine appearance and gaze towards Adam), and the eleven other figures symbolically represent the souls of Adam and Eve's unborn progeny, the entire human race.
The Creation of Adam is generally thought to depict the excerpt "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him" (Gen. 1:27).
The Coin:
On the Reverse of the 20 Euro Copper Coin is depicted the painting - "The Creation of Adam".
The original painting depicts a youthful Adam lying on the ground; his gaze turns toward the Creator by extending his left hand toward Him. God, suspended in a cloud, extends His right hand towards Adam in the act of giving him life.
On the upper periphery is the inscription - "CITTA’ DEL VATICANO" ("Vatican City"), and below this, is engraved the coins’ face value of "20 EURO".
On the lower periphery are 12, five-pointed stars, representing the European Union (EU).
The Obverse of the 20 Euro Copper Coin depicts the common elements of the Papal crest of Pope Francis, which depicts the papal mitre and crossed keys.
Above the crest is the legend "FRANCISCUS PONT. MAX." with the regnal year "ANNO XI MMXXIII" (all inscriptions placed on the outer periphery).
The papal motto "MISERANDO ATQUE ELIGENDO" of Pope Francis (“by having mercy, by choosing him”) is shown on a lemniscate/banner as part of the crest.
The specifications of this Coin are:
Country/City State: The Vatican; Date/Year of Coin issue: 13.04.2023; Coin Denomination: 20 Euro; Coin Series Theme: "Art and Faith"; Coin Theme: "The Creation of Adam" - by Renaissance artist Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti (1475–1564); Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Copper (Cu); Weight: 15.00 grams; Diameter/Size: 32.00 mm; Mint: IPZS, Italy, on behalf of the Commercializzazione Filatelica e Numismatica" (CFN); Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Shape: Circular; Edge: continued course milled; Mintage: 15,000 pieces; Designer: Antonella Napolione (Reverse); Engraver: Maria Angela Cassol.
- Each coin is encapsulated, and a folder to house the coin is also available, both as separate purchases.
7) Michelangelo's "Pieta", Vatican City: New Copper Coin Series titled "Art and Faithy": A 10 Euro Copper Coin minted by the "Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato" (IPZS) on behalf of the "Ufficio Filatelico e Numismatico Governatorato della Cotta del Vaticano": Coin issue date: 05.03.2020
8) Ancient Postal Routes, Vatican City State: EUROPA 2020 Theme: Two stamps of 1.10 Euro and 1.15 Euro issued by the Ufficio filatelico e Numismatico -Governatorato, Vaticano featuring Ancient Postal Routes emanating from the Vatican City State during the 6th & 11th Centuries AD
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