The Sistine Ceiling Subject is ADAM, a four-letter Biblical figure from the Book of Genesis. He is the first man created by God and is widely considered to be the progenitor of the human race. The Sistine Ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, is a fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It depicts nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the Creation of ADAM, which is widely regarded as one of the most iconic images in art history.