Art History

Caravaggio - The Torchbearer of Baroque Art

By Annette Labedzki

Italian artist, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio or Michelangelo Caravaggio, or simply Caravaggio was born on September 28, 1573, in Milan, to father, Fermo Merisi, and mother, Lucia Aratori. He became an orphan at the age of eleven. Soon he was apprenticed to the painter, Simone Peterzano for four years. This proved to be a blessing in disguise for Caravaggio. Peterzano was a poor painter who gave his students many opportunities to blossom on their own. This prompted Caravaggio to develop a style of painting that was unique to him. He excelled in Baroque Art, which was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church.

Around 1592, Caravaggio moved to Rome. Deprived of material and spiritual comforts, the painter worked for a pittance for lesser-known artists. Caravaggio painted about forty pictures during this period. Notable among them were "Boy with a Fruit Basket (1593)," "The Young Bacchus," and "The Music Party." These paintings were in total contrast to the turmoil that he was facing because of his disorderly life.

In 1595, Michelangelo Caravaggio met Cardinal Francesco del Monte who commissioned the artist to paint for the church of San Luigi dei Francesci. Caravaggio had to paint three large paintings of scenes from the life of St. Matthew. They were, "St Matthew and the Angel (1600)," "The Calling of St. Matthew (1599-1600)," and "The Martyrdom of St. Matthew (1600)." Influenced by Naturalism and Chiaroscuro, these paintings were so realistic and dramatic that there was a public outrage at their depiction. Instead of proving a deterrent, these paintings drove Caravaggio to concentrate his efforts on religious themes, interpreting them in his own style. Though his paintings often had a brutal and harsh quality in them, Caravaggio's reputation as an artist was at its peak by 1600.

The painter was also infamous for his unruly behavior. He was known to be a womanizer and a drinker. In one incident of extreme brawling in 1606, Caravaggio ended up killing his opponent and had to flee from Rome. He resurfaced at Zagarolo where he was under the protection of Duke Don Marzio Colonna. Caravaggio painted Christ at Emmaus and a portrait of Mary Magdalene for the Duke. By 1607, he moved to Malta where he painted "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist." He had to leave Malta and seek refuge in Sicily because of his criminal background. Since he had become a famous artist, he had no dearth of clients. Here the artist painted "The Burial of St. Lucy," "The Resurrection of Lazarus," and "The Adoration of the Shepherds." His escapades then led him to Naples in 1609, where he painted "The Madonna of the Rosary" and "The Seven Works of Mercury." In contrast to his earlier paintings, which used light and shadow effectively to bring about clarity, these paintings were dark. Many believe that Caravaggio displayed his tumultuous life in his work.

Michelangelo Caravaggio's works were so mesmerizing that they appealed to the religious sentiments of the people of Rome who were ready to forgive him of all his misdeeds. Caravaggio decided to return to Rome but his past led to his doom. He died on July 18, 1610, when he was all alone. Though not realized at that time, Caravaggio's works went on to prove the potential crusaders of Western Art. His works greatly influenced the works of some of the most famous painters such as Rubens, Jusepe de Ribera, Bernini, and Rembrandt. In fact, these artists were referred to as "Caravaggisti" and "Caravagesques."

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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