Statue of Moses

Michelangelo’s Moses, housed in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) in Rome, is one of his most powerful and enigmatic sculptures.

Originally conceived as part of a massive tomb for Pope Julius II, the project was repeatedly scaled down over decades. Completed around 1515, Moses became the central figure of the final, smaller tomb design. Seated with muscular intensity, the figure exudes a commanding presence, gripping the Tablets of the Law with one arm while his powerful gaze turns to the side, as if reacting to the Israelites' idolatry. The statue’s most debated feature is the pair of horns on Moses’ head—a result of a mistranslation of the Hebrew Bible into Latin, which rendered "rays of light" as "horns." Despite this, Michelangelo’s depiction captures both divine wrath and contemplative strength. The dynamic tension in the body, especially in the hands and flowing beard, reflects the artist’s mastery of anatomy and emotion in stone. Set in a quiet side chapel of the basilica, Moses remains a profound expression of spiritual authority and human passion, and stands as one of the greatest achievements of Renaissance sculpture.