The Ancestors of Christ: Zerubbabel, Abiud and Eliakim

This spandrel repeats the genealogical subject of Zerubbabel, Abiud, and Eliakim, connecting different sections of the ceiling’s ancestor program. The post-exilic ancestors represent the period following Judah’s return from Babylonian captivity, a time of national restoration that prefigures Christ’s spiritual restoration of humanity. 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 figures are arranged within the triangular spandrel format with Michelangelo’s characteristic spatial invention. Bold color and powerful modeling create monumental presence within the architectural constraints.