Nahshon

Nahshon, from the Sistine Chapel ceiling lunettes, depicts an ancestor of Christ from the genealogy in Matthew’s Gospel. Michelangelo painted forty ancestors of Christ in the lunettes and spandrels surrounding the central narrative panels, creating an encyclopedic display of the human figure in every conceivable pose and emotional state. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays Herculean anatomy, terribilità—an overwhelming physical and spiritual force—sculptural conception applied to painting, non-finito technique, monumental scale even in intimate works.

The figure’s dynamic pose demonstrates Michelangelo’s mastery of the human body in motion. The fresco technique required rapid, confident execution on wet plaster, and the bold modeling reveals the artist’s supreme draftsmanship.