The Brazen Serpent
Biblical Context
Brazen Serpent - Moses erects a bronze serpent to heal Israelites bitten by fiery serpents (Numbers 21:4-9).
One of the last of Michelangelo's works on the ceiling, located in a corner spandrel. Shows more complex groupings of interlocking figures than earlier works. The Israelites writhe in agony from the serpent bites, while those who look upon the bronze serpent that Moses has raised are healed.
This scene was traditionally understood as a prefiguration of Christ's crucifixion, as referenced in John 3:14: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up."
