Which painter created The Punishment of Korah on the Sistine Chapel’s south wall?

Sandro Botticelli created The Punishment of Korah on the Sistine Chapel’s south wall. The fresco illustrates a story from the Book of Numbers in which Korah and his followers challenge the authority of Moses and Aaron.

The scene was painted during the major decoration campaign of the 1480s, before Michelangelo created the ceiling and The Last Judgment. Botticelli was one of several leading Florentine and Umbrian painters invited to work in the chapel under Pope Sixtus IV.

The fresco combines several moments of the biblical narrative. Moses and Aaron stand at the center, while rebellious figures are punished for their challenge. An inscription identifies the subject and helps viewers understand the unusual combination of episodes.

The south wall primarily presents scenes from the life of Moses, while the north wall presents scenes from the life of Christ. The arrangement creates a parallel between the Old and New Testaments. Botticelli also contributed other scenes to the chapel, including episodes from Moses’s life.