# Michaelangelo's Creation of Adam **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 7, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340 "2010-04-07T23:23:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/1 "2010-04-07T23:23:13Z")
Something about [this painting](http://www.adliterate.com/archives/CreationofAdam.jpg) has always bugged me. God is reaching out, trying to keep his balance while holding on to his cherubs for dear life but Adam’s just leaning back on one elbow giving him the finger in a passive, lazy display of the world’s first “meh”. What’s up with that? Is there something I’m missing? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Adam has always looked like a slacker in that painting. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/2 "2010-04-07T23:29:59Z")
Well, yeah, God’s doing all the work, there. Adam’s the subject of the work, not the worker. Why would it be otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/3 "2010-04-07T23:31:52Z")
_deleted–tasteless joke, wasn’t funny._ ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/4 "2010-04-07T23:32:56Z")
Art questions? Cafe Society. Moved from General Questions. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/5 "2010-04-07T23:36:35Z")
Because that is the moment, not of creation, but of animation. Before then, Adam is just a lump of clay - formed, but without life. Without God’s literal inspiration, the most Adam could ever be is kind of “meh”. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/6 "2010-04-07T23:43:46Z")
For that matter, why does God have to have a bunch of fat babies holding him up? Can’t he fly himself? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/7 "2010-04-07T23:48:17Z")
“Hey, Adam. Pull my finger.” ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/8 "2010-04-07T23:54:42Z")
Perhaps Adam is upset about the umm, lack of endowment bestowed on him by his creator? Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/9 "2010-04-08T00:02:15Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Something about [this painting](http://www.adliterate.com/archives/CreationofAdam.jpg) has always bugged me. > > God is reaching out, trying to keep his balance while holding on to his cherubs for dear life but Adam’s just leaning back on one elbow giving him the finger in a passive, lazy display of the world’s first “meh”. What’s up with that? Is there something I’m missing? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Adam has always looked like a slacker in that painting. That’s not the one with the sweet little cherub flipping off the Pope, is it? ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/10 "2010-04-08T00:06:58Z")
And, of course, the timeless question: Why does Adam have a belly-button? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/11 "2010-04-08T00:25:03Z")
> [@malkavia](#): > > Perhaps Adam is upset about the umm, lack of endowment bestowed on him by his creator? > > Just sayin’. It would have been awfully funny if Adam had been painted with a huge dong. Good little Catholic boys and girls giggling hysterically - nuns rolling thier eyes - “yeah, yeah, we all see it, get over it” ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/12 "2010-04-08T00:52:56Z")
I never noticed before, but I think God has jungle fever. That’s a sista he got his arm around. Look closely. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/13 "2010-04-08T01:23:08Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I never noticed before, but I think God has jungle fever. That’s a sista he got his arm around. Look closely. That’s supposed to be the as-yet-to-be-created Eve. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/14 "2010-04-08T02:15:53Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > That’s supposed to be the as-yet-to-be-created Eve. And I don’t think she’s black. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/15 "2010-04-08T02:40:36Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > That’s supposed to be the as-yet-to-be-created Eve. _Really??_ I did not know that. I did not know that. And Captain Amazing, that was a lil’ jokey poo. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/16 "2010-04-08T02:58:22Z")
My first instinct when I noticed the angels was that they were trying to hold God back. God looks like he’s struggling to reach Man. And the whole thing is symbolic, anyways, as the whole ensemble with God is really just the human brain, and thus it is when Adam’s starts working that he becomes human. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/17 "2010-04-08T03:04:17Z")
[http://www.cracked.com/article\_18386\_7-mind-blowing-easter-eggs-hidden-in-famous-works-art.html](http://www.cracked.com/article_18386_7-mind-blowing-easter-eggs-hidden-in-famous-works-art.html) > [@BigT](#): > > My first instinct when I noticed the angels was that they were trying to hold God back. God looks like he’s struggling to reach Man. > > And the whole thing is symbolic, anyways, as the whole ensemble with God is really just the human brain, and thus it is when Adam’s starts working that he becomes human. Yeah, I read or heard from somewhere that the big scarf like thingy around God and the angels is actually a picture of the human brain! I can see it. ETA: I just found it on[Cracked.](http://www.cracked.com/article_18386_7-mind-blowing-easter-eggs-hidden-in-famous-works-art.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/18 "2010-04-08T03:10:58Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > That’s supposed to be the as-yet-to-be-created Eve. Huh. Unlike **Nzinga** , I _really_ didn’t know that. But now that I do know it, am I alone in thinking that Eve looks a tad, um, underwhelmed at the sight of the manly vigor of her husband-to-be? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/19 "2010-04-08T03:19:51Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > But now that I do know it, am I alone in thinking that Eve looks a tad, um, underwhelmed at the sight of the manly vigor of her husband-to-be? Eh. She’s not exactly knockin’ 'em dead in the endowment department herself… ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340/20 "2010-04-08T03:25:42Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Eh. She’s not exactly knockin’ 'em dead in the endowment department herself… Yeah. I’ve read that Michelangelo’s typical technique for sculpting or painting female figures was to use a male model and then just beef up the chest a bit so it looked like breasts, and this Eve looks like a plausible example of that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michaelangelos-creation-of-adam/535340.md?page=2)