The Silver King has captured the minds of anglers and artists for generations. Paintings depicting tarpon jumping through the air capture the raw emotion and power that any angler who has chased tarpon is familiar with. Of these paintings, one particular one has garnered more fame worldwide than any other. That painting, which lives in the Sistine Chapel, depicts the story of Jonah and the Whale, and was painted by none other than Michelangelo. But how did a tarpon end up on one of the most famous pieces of art in history? The mystery of the Sistine Chapel tarpon is a fascinating story, and while we may never know the exact answer, here is what we do know and our theory on how the first depiction of the Silver King came to life.
History
In the years between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo completed one of the greatest pieces of art in history. Commissioned by the Pope, Michelangelo painted the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in fresco style, including his depiction of Jonah and the Whale. The Jonah Fresco, front and center in the Sistine Chapel, shows Jonah alongside what appears to be an Atlantic tarpon. It’s worth noting that this depiction is based on the original version of the story of Jonah, which references a big fish rather than a whale. The fish in question features a large eye, a tarpon-shaped mouth, a silvery color, and fins we can’t help but notice resemble those of the Silver King. That begs the question: How did the first accepted depiction of the Atlantic tarpon end up on one of the most famous pieces of art 500 years ago?
Where Did Michelango Learn About Tarpon
Atlantic tarpon consists of two major populations of fish, the Western Atlantic population and the Eastern Atlantic population. The Western population is what most anglers are familiar with. Ranging from the Carolinas down to Brazil, it’s unlikely Michelangelo knew about these fish in the 1500s. The Eastern Atlantic Tarpon, however, is found along the Western coast of Africa, ranging from Senegal to the Congo. Is it possible Michelangelo stumbled across one of these fish?
Historical records show no indications of tarpon in the Mediterranean, Michelangelo’s home waters, so that is out of the question. However, in 1980, a tarpon was caught off the Atlantic Coast of Portugal. Perhaps tales of stray tarpon in Portugal made their way back to Michelangelo. However, with just one fish caught in the last 40 years, it’s very unlikely.
In a breakdown of the Sistine Chapel Tarpon by Midcurrent author Norman Duncan, he breaks down his theory, which, in our opinion, is the best working theory. The basis of his theory is that market anglers and explorers heading south to Africa likely came across the Eastern Atlantic Tarpon. Like any great fishermen’s tale, stories of giant tarpon made their way back to Michelangelo and perhaps even a physical specimen, inspiring the artwork.
African Tarpon and the Sistine Chapel
The theory of an African tarpon, leading to the inspiration from the Sistine Chapel, has several interesting components. For starters, the world record tarpon was caught in 2003 in Guinea-Bissau, a small country off the coast of West Africa. The fish weighed an impressive 286 pounds, 40 pounds larger than the biggest fish landed in the US. This area of the world is known to hold the biggest tarpon in the world, so it’s not too far-fetched to think explorers came across fish in this class or bigger.
In the 1500s, fishing tackle was far from what it is today, with nets and hand lines being the preferred methods. If explorers captured a 300-pound fish in a net, the ensuing chaos and acrobatics would certainly end up in a fisherman’s tale. Stories of fish bigger than men flying through the air would travel far and wide, and could very well have made their way to Michelangelo. While few fish this size likely made it to the boat, smaller fish likely did, and there’s a good chance some made it back to fish markets for Michelangelo to base his painting on.
At the end of the day, there are no hard facts to prove any of this. The only thing we know is that there is a painting in the Sistine Chapel that bears an uncanny resemblance to a tarpon, and Michelangelo created it. Perhaps it is a tarpon, or perhaps we as anglers want to believe it is. Whatever the case, speculating about how it got there is pretty fun. Drop your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to check out Norman Duncan’s in-depth breakdown.
