[1] The figure is standing in the upper left corner of the fresco, wearing a red tunic and a blue turban.

[2] In contrast to themes of power and glory depicted by Perugino, Michelangelo elected to paint a much darker moment in the saint's life.

"[3] The Crucifixion fresco is situated on the eastern wall of the Pauline Chapel, which is significant because that is the location in which the cardinals have always held their elections for a new pope.

Unlike the many earlier representations of the martyrdom of Peter, this one depicts the raising of the cross – the moment before the crucifixion has truly begun.

They direct the eye to the group of people located on the top right corner, which in turn lead to one end of the crucifix.

Michelangelo also created many strong diagonals with the placement of his figures and the extension of their arms and legs towards a central point of convergence.

He defied convention by placing Peter's upper body so that he needs to crane upward and twist his neck to make eye contact with the viewer's gaze.

This is a far cry from the painted visages of the final moments of countless martyrs, which is typically a passive uplifted gaze.

Steinberg refutes these claims by positing the fact that the characteristic stocky, muscular figures in this piece do not correspond to the lithe ideal body type preferred by Mannerists.

[8] Yael Even states that Michelangelo even went so far as to imbue the mourning female figures present in the painting with a more masculine quality.

He designed the frescoes in accordance with what the viewer on the ground would see rather than the "ideal" frontal view most people see in photographs or reproductions.

He postulates that Michelangelo designed the composition for these frescoes with the notion that they would be viewed as one walks down the central aisle of the narrow chapel in a processional manner.

While Peter is in fact grossly disproportionate from the "ideal" frontal view, he is perfectly proportionate (and, more importantly, always visible) from every other vantage point.

[14] Wallace states that in addition to conceiving of these frescoes in terms of perspective, Michelangelo also took into consideration the architectural and environmental context in which they were set.

Due to the obstruction caused by an adjacent building, this fresco is only lit for a very limited period of time at the very end of the day.