Artist: Michelangelo- Sistine Chapel
between 1511 and 1512
Azor and Zadok belong to the generations between the return from Babylonian exile and the birth of Jesus. This period saw Judea pass through Persian, Greek, and eventually Roman domination. Although the biblical record provides little personal information about these men, Matthew preserves their names as part of the ancestry of Christ. Michelangelo included them among the generations represented in the lunettes of the Sistine Chapel.
Matthew 1:13-14 identifies Azor as the father of Zadok within the genealogy of Jesus. Neither man is otherwise described in the biblical narrative, and their names should not automatically be identified with other biblical figures bearing similar names. Their importance lies in their place within the continuing family line. Matthew's genealogy shows that the promise associated with Abraham and David remained significant even during generations whose individual histories were not recorded.
The lunette reflects Michelangelo's interest in the varied appearances and attitudes of ordinary people. Rather than inventing historical portraits of Azor and Zadok, he places human figures within the curved architectural space surrounding the genealogical inscription. The figures form part of a continuous sequence in which family relationships and the passage of time carry the central meaning. Their restrained presentation contrasts with the dramatic scenes occupying the higher portions of the ceiling.
