Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants (detail)
by MICHELANGELO Buonarroti, Fresco
On the left, in a more restricted field, and further back from the picture plane, the Creator is depicted once again - notably foreshortened and seen from behind - as he heads toward the earth, going away from the foreground. Together with the strong contrasts of light and shade, the movement in opposite directions of the two figures heightens the dynamic tension of the scene and conveys a sense of immediacy.