The famous Italian artist, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Italian: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) is known as the brightest reformer of painting at the turn of the XVI - XVII centuries (years of life: 1571 - 1610).
Caravaggio achieves such mastery in the use of contrasts of light and shadow in his paintings that even a whole generation of “caravaggist” artists appears after him. Caravaggio did not recognize the existing rules that using drawing it is necessary to create idealized images on canvases - he depicted real people in his paintings: street boys, courtesans, old people.
The master did not leave a single sketch to the descendants - he created immediately on canvas.
Biography
The artist was born in a suburb of Milan, where after the plague epidemic he was left without a father early, and his mother moved with her children to the town of Caravaggio. The talented young man had a complex, nonliving character. In 1591, he had to flee to Rome, after a tragic showdown with the card players, who were then depicted in the work of "Shuler".
By the way, he will fall into various scrapes more than once throughout his career. Caravaggio was repeatedly investigated, but the fame of a brawler and rowdy did not prevent him from being in demand.
In the capital, they noticed his gift as a painter, giving patronage and basic skills - from the masters of the Titian school. Since there was already a genius in the history of art by the name of Michelangelo, our artist chose a different path - he took the nickname "Caravaggio", copying the name of his native city.
In Rome, he left the world the best paintings in the period of creativity from 1592 to 1606.
On May 29, 1606, a tragic accident happened in Caravaggio's life - Ranuccio Tomassoni was killed during a street ball game, and the great master was found guilty of the murder. In order not to be condemned, the artist went on the run, leaving Rome.
He then moved to La Valletta (Valletta, the capital of Malta), and entered the Order of Malta. However, his wanderings did not stop until the end of his life. As a result, the artist died of malaria at the age of 39, forgotten and rejected, leaving dozens of his masterpieces to the world.
Caravazdo brushes belong to the first still lifes in Italian painting - "Fruit Basket" - one of the most famous still lifes of the master, where the fruits are depicted as accurately as if it were a macro shot.
But he began to depict the fruits a little earlier, on portraits of adolescents - this is "The Young Man with a Basket of Fruits", "Bacchus."
The painter repeated some of the most successful plots 2-3 times, commissioned by wealthy nobles - “Fortune Teller”, “Boy Cleaning Fruit” (one of the first masterpieces). He rarely depicted women - “The Penitent Magdalene,” “Judith Killing Holofernes,” “Madonna and Child with St. Anne,” and several other works.
Rome at the beginning of the XVII century became a kind of school for European artists. Over time, the master of technology "chiaroscuro" opened his own workshop, where he had many talented students, such as Mario de Fiori, Spada, and Bartolomeo Manfredi.
Subsequently, the imitation of “chiaroscuro” Caravaggio became apparent in the paintings of Velazquez and Rubens, Rembrandt and Georges de Latour.
Some of the artist’s works are irretrievably lost, and yet in Rome there are many paintings by Caravaggio, which can be seen for free in churches and paid in museums and private collections. Next, we provide a complete list of paintings with addresses for true fans of the work of the great master.
Is free
Church of San Luigi dei Francesi
- Address: Piazza di S. Luigi de 'Francesi, 00186 Roma
Lovers of Caravaggio paintings most often go to the holy monastery of San Luigi dei Francesi - one of the "pearls" of Rome, but from the name it is clear that the church was open to the French community. It was built as a tribute to the French monarch Louis IX (1214-1270), who managed to put an end to the implacable enmity of the church and secular leadership. And in Byzantium, the ruler was able to agree on the redemption of the sacred relic of the entire Christian world - the Crown of Thorns of the Savior (stored in France).
The church became another “long-term construction”, however, in 70 years the holy monastery filled with masterpieces was completed by 1589. Everything here is imbued with the spirit of veneration of St. Mary, as befits in Catholicism. However, the building looks rather modest from the outside, except for the statues, and all the luxury is inside. Frescoes Dominikino, decorated with colored marble, the image in gilding.
Here in the Chapel of Contarelli (to the left of the main altar) you can see 3 works of the great Merisi da Caravaggio with scenes depicted from the life of the Holy Apostle Matthew.
The painter replaced the previous master, and after Cavalliero d'Arpino, something had to be completed, but something had to be redone. Those people who hired Caravaggio risked, because the master did not like sketches, worked under a beam of directional light and built the composition differently from many of his contemporaries. But the risk was justified, and today we have the opportunity to see the "Calling of the Apostle Matthew."
The Calling of the Apostle Matthew (canvas 322 x 340 cm, written in 1599) is a well-known story about calling the tax collector Jesus as a disciple, later the publican Levi became the Apostle and author of the Matthew Gospel. Two well-dressed youths, crouched near the tax collector, with genuine interest peer into the image of the Savior, calling with the pointing finger of His chosen. In the work one can feel the influence of predecessors, for example, the characteristic hand of the Lord’s hand from the famous canvas of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.
It is interesting to note that St. Matthew is the patron saint of tax authorities in almost all countries of the world.
Martyrdom of St. Matthew
"Martyrdom of St. Matthew" (canvas 323 x 343 cm, painted in 1599-1600) - the canvas depicts the scene of the murder of the evangelist, where a self-portrait of Caravaggio himself is guessed. Experts say that the face of the artist - in one of the figures of eyewitnesses of the event in the background, is turned back. The realist artist violated religious canons, and replaced the pathos with realism of suffering for the Good News. Canvas for the family chapel of the Contarelli family.
Saint Matthew and the Angel
"St. Matthew and the Angel" (canvas painted in 1599-1602) - the inspired Apostle is depicted, who hears the voice of the Angel, recording the Gospel of Matthew. The painting is known for the fact that the customer was shocked by the realism of the image, where the Holy Apostle is depicted as a commoner, contrary to canons.
Basilica of St. Augustine
- Address: Piazza di Sant'Agostino, 00186 Roma
The Church of St. Augustine (Sant'Agostino) is another place in Rome where art lovers have the opportunity to see Caravaggio's masterpiece. The building is easy to find in the square with the same name.
Here you can admire Caravaggio's painting "Madonna di Loreto" and other masterpieces of Italian masters of the era.
The realism of the biblical characters and the special manner of writing of Caravaggio made him famous and well-paid. He carried out profitable orders for the design of churches. In the last decade of his life, the painter painted mainly on gospel stories depicting biblical characters.
Madonna di Loreto or Mother of Pilgrims
"Madonna di Loreto or Mother of Pilgrims" (canvas, 1604-1605) - the work is in the first chapel on the left, and this is the most sensational canvas of the master. There were some extravagant antics. - the altar image of the Mother of God is written from a courtesan.
The courtesans always posed for everyone, but he was the first to refuse to turn an ordinary model into an idealized image of the Madonna, and left everything as it is.
The dignitaries were indignant at exposing their breasts to indecent, although this is a common thing for a nursing mother. But it was the violation of the canons that made the reformist canvases of Caravaggio famous. Some contemporaries were also embarrassed by the dirty feet of the pilgrims depicted in the picture, but this is the law of realism.
The biblical stories embodied on the canvases of Caravaggio were so impressive that they tried to copy them repeatedly. However, the special manner of writing did not give a chance to copyists, and all the fakes look dull and pale. Most of the works of the great master “chiaroscuro” are written on a biblical plot, therefore they were respected by the religious elite.
Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo
- Address: Piazza del popolo
- Working hours: 7:15-12:30, 16:00-19:00
Another place in Rome, where two masterpieces of Caravaggio and many other works of art are exhibited. The ugly-looking Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo is open in the morning and evening hours. It is easily accessible by metro (red line A) to Flaminio station or on foot from the Spanish Steps in 10 minutes. This object is part of the tourist route, next to the northern gates of Rome (Porta del Popolo), where an inconspicuous building stands on the left, one of the sanctuaries of the Virgin Mary. The modest appearance of the building is deceptive, but as the Bible says: "All the beauty of the daughter of the King is inside."
Your goal is the left nave at the altar - paintings by Annibale Carracci and Merisi da Caravaggio.
The Conversion of Saul or Paul on the Way to Damascus
“The Conversion of Saul” or “Paul on the Road to Damascus” (1601) - the picture illustrates the biblical story of the beginning of the service of God to the Apostle Paul, the former Saul. He is known to the Christian world as the author of several Epistles in the New Testament. Caravaggio portrayed this story several times, and this option is the most realistic, better known as a composition with a horse. The Pharisee Saul (Saul), who was instructed to put the first Christians in prison, had a supernatural meeting with Jesus, speaking to him from heaven, on his way to Damascus. His fellow travelers did not understand anything, but froze in a daze, and a wonderful light blinded Paul for 3 days, which subsequently led him to healing, repentance, and serving God.
Crucifixion of St. Peter
"Crucifixion of St. Peter" (1600-1601) - on the canvas depicts the Holy Apostle Peter (formerly Simon), chosen by Christ, who was crucified upside down on the cross. Such an unnatural situation in which the Apostle readily accepted death is the desire of a martyr. He believed that he was not worthy to be crucified as Christ. This is what the picture of Caravaggio, the great master of the play of light and shadow, tells about.
Learn more about St. Peter on a special excursion to St. Peter and the Vatican at dawn without lines and crowds of tourists.
Paid
Borghese Gallery
- Address: Piazzale del Museo Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma
- Cost: 14 euros - instructions on how to buy a ticket without intermediaries
- Excursion to the Borghese Gallery
- Article about the gallery
Boy and fruit basket
"The Boy and the Fruit Basket" (1593-1594) - this is one of the first works where the image of each fruit is carefully worked out.
Sick Bacchus
"Sick Bacchus" (1592-1593) - a famous self-portrait of the painter. The young artist at that time was seriously ill and did not have a livelihood. I had to fulfill an order without a sitter and write my greenish pale face with a mirror reflection. One of the master’s best creations was sold for debts from the private collection of his painting teacher in Rome, Cavalier d'Arpino, was confiscated and fell into the collection of Shipione Borghese, nephew of the pope. Connoisseurs of the art of painting admire not only the suffering face of a half-naked young man, but also the masterful image of brushes of white-pink and black grapes.
Madonna and Child with St. Anne
The Madonna and Child with Saint Anne (1606) is one of the most revered works, known as the Madonna and the Snake, where Christ and Mary stepped on the head of an asp.
The prophetess Anna, according to apocryphal texts, is the mother of Mary, the grandmother of Jesus, who blessed the Baby when he was first brought to the temple, in this story there is a distance. Work for the altar of the church of St. Anne.
Saint John the Baptist
"John the Baptist" (1610) - there are several versions of this plot, while portraits of many naked youths were signed that way. The painter’s writing style is recognizable by the unsurpassed skill of depicting naked young men, clearly outlined by light. Although the biblical image is glorified by many painters, not all of them reflect the severe image of the Forerunner, who baptized the masses in Jordan. He lived in the desert, covering his nudity with animal skins, eating dried acridas and wild honey. To give importance to their work, painters gave their work the name of John the Baptist. For reliability, the canvases depicted a staff and skins of rams - attributes of a wanderer and an ascetic.
Saint Jerome in thought
"Saint Jerome in Reflection" (1606) is a canvas with philosophical meaning, where the human skull prompts the elder to reflect on the essence of being. It is said that this plot inspired many authors of masterpieces of literature and art. Remember "To be or not to be ..."?
Goliath's David
"David with the Head of Goliath" (1609-1610 g) is the most interesting painting that the painter took with him for a long time and improved.
This is one of Caravaggio's later paintings. The artist was still outlawed and hoped for forgiveness of the pope. Caravaggio portrays himself as Goliath, to whom David cut off his head, but David is not shown in the picture as a winner - he looks at Goliath's severed head with almost sympathy. Caravaggio sent the picture to Rome as a gift to Cardinal Shipione Borghese to receive a papal pardon, and as a sign of this on the sword of David are the letters “h.o.s.” meaning “modesty triumphs over pride”.
Although it seems to us that the heads are disproportionate, but this is not at all an artist’s mistake.
In the Bible, David is described as a handsome blond lad. When the troops of the Israelites and Philistines stood on the battlefield, the shepherd David brought the brothers lunch, but the battle did not begin - Israel did not have a worthy fighter. And the giant Goliath (2.5 meters tall) pronounced curses and curses against the Israelis. David was indignant at the disparaging tone of the Israelites and their God, and he smote the proud man in the forehead with a sling stone. Then he cut off his head to encourage Israel. Therefore, in the picture, Goliath’s head is so big, and David is very young.
Vatican Pinacoteca
- Address: Viale Vaticano
- Cost: 20 euro
- Working hours: from 9:00 to 16:00
- Excursion to the Vatican Museums with a licensed guide
- Vatican Museums Night Tours on Fridays
Also, paintings by Caravaggio are in the Vatican Pinakothek, which is included in the complex of the Vatican Museums.
Burial of Christ
In the Vatican, the gaze of numerous pilgrims presents an illustration of the biblical story "The Burial of Christ" (canvas 300 x 203 cm, painted in 1602-1603). This composition was subsequently copied by many followers of Caravaggio, it is also known as "The Position in the Sepulcher of Christ." He was removed from the cross and laid in a cave, intended for a place for burial.
One of the masterpieces of the great painter, which is stored in the Vatican Pinakothek, was originally written for the church of Chiesa Nuovo. The composition impresses with the depth of the tragedy of the central scene of the Gospel - the crucifixion of the Savior and his burial before His miraculous resurrection. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, becoming a perfect atoning sacrifice to God. One of the strongest manifestations of tragedy in realistic canvases of the master.
A special case is known when his commitment to realism came to fanaticism - the image of a dead nature for the painting "The Resurrection of Lazarus".
As is known from the Gospel, Jesus came to resurrect his dead friend, brother Martha and Mary, on the 4th day, when the body "is already stinking." The sitters refused to pose with a rotting corpse, and Caravaggio forced them to stand so threats until he reached the goal. But this work is exhibited in the regional museum of the city of Messina (Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare di Messina) in Sicily in the city of Messina, and not in Rome.
Palazzo Doria-Pamphili
- Address: Via del Corso, 305
- Ticket: 12 euro
- Working hours: from 9:00 to 19:00
The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is a gray building with a memorable architecture that belonged to the Cardinals.Subsequently, the palace passed into private ownership from the Aldobrandini family to Pamphili, related to another noble family - Doria. Their descendants devoted much time and effort to replenish the family collection of masterpieces with new creations of art, including 2 paintings by Caravaggio.
Penitent Magdalene
"Penitent Magdalene" (1595) is a well-known biblical story about the repentance of a harlot caught in adultery, which Jesus did not allow stoning the Pharisees and legalists. Everyone knows the saying of Jesus "who is without sin - first throw a stone at her," which gave this woman the right to life and repentance. Subsequently, she washed Jesus' feet with tears and smeared with precious incense on the eve of the crucifixion.
Rest on the way to Egypt
"Rest on the Flight into Egypt" (1595) - depicts the Holy Family while fleeing with the Baby, which is described in the "Gospel of Matthew". A famous episode from the life of Joseph and Mary, who were forced to hide from King Herod, who ordered the guards to kill all babies up to 2 years old. The reason for the anger is the prophecy about the birth of the Messiah and Savior, which was told by the magi who saw the star of Bethlehem.
Palazzo corsini
The Palazzo Corsini is located in the Trastevere district, next to Villa Farnesina. Gardens, buildings and a collection of works of art belonged to a reputable family of Florentines who moved to Rome. There is also a painting by Caravaggio.
John the Baptist
"John the Baptist" (1603-1604) is one of the versions of the famous story about John the Baptist, who lived in the desert and baptized people in the waters of the Jordan. In those days, it was one of the most popular biblical images, so there are so many versions. Even Caravaggio has several paintings with the same name. The image of an ascetic who ate acridas (edible locusts) in the desert and wild honey, covering his nakedness with skins, baptized the masses in Jordan. Jesus called him the greatest of the prophets. But half-naked nature was often painted by artists in those days, and when they wanted to sell paintings with the image of young men profitably, they supplemented the image with a wanderer's staff and skins of rams.
No one can say with certainty why Caravaggio painted scenes from the Gospel in the last decade.
Whether it was the conversion of the repentant sinner to God, the well-paid orders of the artist in the churches, or the reading of the Holy Scriptures, is not known. The master of painting signed the works of the last decade with the letter "F", which meant "brother" (a member of the brotherhood of believers). His canvases are valuable in that they are not just scenes on a biblical theme, the whole depth of empathy is felt in them.
Odescalchi Collection - Balbi
- Address: Palazzo Odescalchi Balbi, Piazza dei Santi Apostoli, 80
Conversion of Saul
"The Conversion of Saul" (c. 1600) - one of the versions of the composition, which impresses with its realism - a biblical character blinded by divine light from the sky. The Acts of the Holy Apostles tells of the Pharisee, the “immoderate zealot of fatherly traditions” and the Law of Moses, which kept the first disciples of Jesus Christ in fear. The divine light first blinded him, then radically changed his life, and Saul (Saul) became Paul, the greatest of the Apostles.
The plot of Saul's repentance in this version is the first masterpiece rejected by the client for the chapel of Cherazi in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which was written about above. It is considered a less successful work of the master "chiaroscuro", although the inimitable play of light and shadow is very indicative here. A complex composition with a dramatic plot is reflected in every gesture - the blinded Saul closed his eyes with his hands. On the road to Damascus, he was blinded by the divine light, which led to repentance, after which he became known as the Apostle Paul, who wrote a significant part of the New Testament.
Pinacoteca of Capitoline Museums
Fortuneteller or Fortune Teller
“The Fortune Teller” or “Fortune Teller” (canvas 99 x 131 cm, 1594-1595). The artist wrote the plot several times on order for a wealthy clientele. There are also several copies of the composition, which was repeatedly repeated by his followers. However, his painting has amazing effects of light and shadow.
inimitable, making fakes easy to distinguish from the original.
The young artist, who arrived in Rome, experimented a lot, looking for characteristic types for his canvases.
A talented painter rejected the generally accepted method of painting of mannerism and depicted in his paintings real, living people in the same setting. He rejected the generally accepted style of writing of the Baroque era, he was impressed by Lombard realism.
Contemporaries testified about the real story of the meeting of Caravaggio with a gypsy, who predicted him a difficult fate. He gave her money and invited her into the house as a model for his next masterpiece “Fortuneteller”.
Many of the plots on his canvases are not related to religious themes, and these genre scenes today provide an opportunity to understand how Italians looked in those days. His contemporaries on canvases, their way of life, clothes, dishes and musical instruments, are now well known for the most popular paintings, including the "Fortune Teller".
The second version of the Fortune Teller by Caravaggio is in the Louvre
Barberini Palace
Palazzo Barberini tourists can find on Via delle Quattro Fontane 13, near the famous fountain. The baroque-style magnificent palace is one of the most visited places, where one more distinguished creation of Caravaggio is exhibited.
Judith killing Holofernes
"The Judith Killing Holofernes" (1599) is a pictorial illustration of a famous legend. Everything is unusual on the canvas and breaks the classical stereotypes of painting of those times. Of particular interest is the realistic grimace of disgust of the Jewish widow during the beheading of the Babylonian commander.
Narcissus
"Narcissus" or "Young man looking at himself in reflection" (1599) - the painting skillfully depicts a young man staring at his reflection in the water. The plot of the picture is very famous and was taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses: the beautiful young man whom the nymph loved, rejected her love, for which he was punished by the gods
Unfortunately, some of the paintings of Caravaggio are stolen or lost, some have copies, there are paintings attributed to Caravaggio’s brushes, but their authorship is disputed. There are other works, but they adorn the collections of Europe and America. Most of the paintings are in Rome, where we are happy to invite you for inspiration.
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