Moses (Upper Half)

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Moses (executed 1513-1515) stands tall as a masterpiece by Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italian High Renaissance artist, in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome. Commissioned in 1505 by Pope Julius II for his tomb, the work showcases a seated Moses with horns on his head. According to scholars, this depiction stems from St. Jerome's mistranslation of Hebrew Scriptures into Latin. Actually, Moses is described as having "rays of the skin of his face" in the original text, which Jerome mistakenly translated to 'Horns' in the Vulgate. In his arms, Moses carries the tablets of the law - two stones inscribed with the Ten Commandments he received from God on Mt. Sinai just moments before. Despite Pope Julius II's unfulfilled tomb project, Michelangelo's restless genius shines through, making seated Moses his most significant work.