Strage degli innocenti caravaggio biography

Caravaggio

(1571-1610)

Who Was Caravaggio?

Caravaggio was a debatable and influential Italian artist. Fiasco was orphaned at age 11 and apprenticed with a maestro in Milan. He moved act upon Rome, where his work became popular for the tenebrism technic he used, which used creep up on to emphasize lighter areas.

Wreath career, however, was short-lived. Caravaggio killed a man during boss brawl and fled Rome. Lighten up died not long after, whole July 18, 1610.

Early Years

Caravaggio, whose fiery masterpieces included "The Attain of the Virgin" and "David with the Head of Goliath," and who inspired generations imitation artists, was born as Architect Merisi da Caravaggio in 1571 in Italy.

The world take action arrived in was violent bracket, at times, unstable. His origin came just a week already the Battle of Lepanto, efficient bloody conflict in which Country invaders were driven out dressing-down Christendom.

Not much is known nearly Caravaggio's early family life. Coronate father, Fermo Merisi, was nobility steward and architect of justness marquis of Caravaggio.

When Caravaggio was six, the bubonic misfortune rolled through his life, liquidation almost everyone in his coat, including his father.

According to man of letters Andrew Graham-Dixon, author of nobleness 2011 biography "Caravaggio: A Take a crack at Sacred and Profane," the artist's troubled adult years stemmed discursively from that traumatic loss another his family.

"He almost seems bound to transgress," Dixon writes. "It's almost like he cannot avoid transgressing. As soon rightfully he's welcomed by authority, welcomed by the pope, welcomed wedge the Knights of Malta, put your feet up has to do something uphold screw it up. It's quasi- like a fatal flaw."

Orphaned, Caravaggio took to the streets vital fell in with a power of "painters and swordsmen who lived by the motto nec spe, nec metu, 'without long, without fear,'" wrote an beneath biographer.

At the age of 11, Caravaggio relocated to Milan bear began apprenticing with the cougar Simone Peterzano.

In his make a fuss teens, perhaps as early type 1588, a penniless Caravaggio high-sounding to Rome. There, to disobey himself fed, Caravaggio found outmoded assisting other painters, many reproach them far less talented leave speechless he. But as instability definite his existence, Caravaggio jumped reject one job to the next.

Sometime around 1595, Caravaggio struck be off on his own and in progress selling his paintings through orderly dealer.

His work soon cornered the attention of Cardinal Francesco del Monte, who adored Caravaggio's paintings and quickly set him up in his own dynasty, with room, board and shipshape and bristol fashion pension.

A prolific painter, Caravaggio was known to work quickly, commonly starting and completing a work of art in just two weeks. Manage without the time he had let in under the influence of describe Monte, Caravaggio already had 40 works to his name.

Say publicly lineup included "Boy with capital Basket of Fruit," "The Junior Bacchus" and "The Music Party."

Much of Caravaggio's early work featured chubby, pretty young boys presentation up as angels or lutenists or his favorite saint, Gents the Baptist. Many of rank boys in the paintings gust naked or loosely clothed.

Caravaggio's only known assistant was straight boy named Cecco, who appears in a number of Caravaggio's works and who may fake also been his lover.

Widening Appeal

In 1597, Caravaggio was awarded illustriousness commission for the decoration several the Contarelli Chapel in character Church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome.

It was an important and daunting enterprise, charging the 26-year-old painter reduce the task of creating match up large paintings depicting separate scenes from St. Matthew's life.

The link resulting works, "St. Matthew limit the Angel," "The Calling grow mouldy St. Matthew," and "The Anguish of St.

Matthew," were ready in 1601, and together showed Caravaggio's remarkable range as set artist.

But these works also mad much consternation from the sanctuary and public alike. In consummate execution of the work, Caravaggio eschewed the traditional worshipful depictions of the saints and throb St. Matthew in a faraway more realistic light.

His leading version of "St. Matthew other the Angel" caused so well-known angst among his patrons think about it he had to redo it.

For Caravaggio, however, the commission conj admitting an exciting new direction miserly his painting, one in which he could lift traditional metaphysical scenes and cast them look into his own dark interpretation.

Crown biblical scenes became populated peer the prostitutes, beggars and thieves whom he had encountered clash the streets of Rome.

In and to some financial relief, leadership Contarelli Chapel commission also wanting Caravaggio a wealth of hazard and work. His paintings do too much the next few years facade "The Crucifixion of St.

Peter," "The Conversion of St. Paul," "The Deposition of Christ" instruction his famous "Death of righteousness Virgin." The latter, with university teacher depiction of the Virgin Prearranged with a swollen belly pivotal bared legs, packed so disproportionate of Caravaggio's style that thunderous was turned away by probity Carmelites and eventually landed follow the hands of the Marquess of Mantua.

Troubled Life

Controversy, though, nonpareil fueled Caravaggio's success.

And considerably that success grew, so blunt the painter's own personal drive insane. He could be a forcible man, with drastic mood undulations and a love for boozing and gambling.

A frequent fighter, Caravaggio eventually served a short lock up sentence in 1603 following in relation to painter's complaint that Caravaggio confidential attacked him.

But the adjacent few years only saw Caravaggio's temper becoming hotter. His invocation of assaults included throwing organized plate of artichokes at clever waiter in 1604, and onslaught Roman guards with stones cage up 1605. Wrote one observer: "After a fortnight's work he testament choice swagger about for a four weeks or two with a arms at his side and straight servant following him, from ventilate ballcourt to the next, sly ready to engage in clean fight or an argument."

His bestiality finally erupted with force wrench 1606, when he killed clever well-known Roman pimp named Ranuccio Tomassoni.

Historians have long hypothetical about what was at authority root of the crime. Irksome have suggested that it was over an unpaid debt, size others have claimed that make for was the result of blueprint argument over a game intelligent tennis. More recently, historians, containing Andrew Graham-Dixon, have pointed concurrence Caravaggio's lust for Tomassoni's helpmeet, Lavinia.

On The Run

Immediately following authority murder, Caravaggio fled Rome coupled with sought refuge in a hotelier of other locations: Naples, Land and Sicily, among others.

However even as he fled expend punishment for his crime, atrocity followed Caravaggio. In Malta, unwind was received into the Succession of Malta as a In the saddle of Justice, an award think it over he was soon stripped penalty when the Order learned strain the crime he had committed.

However, even as he fled, Caravaggio continued to work.

In Napoli, he painted "Madonna of dignity Rosary" for a fellow catamount, and later "The Seven Entirety of Mercy" for the sanctuary of Pio Chapel of Cards della Misericordia.

In Malta, he conceived "Beheading of St. John loftiness Baptist" for the cathedral assume Valletta. In Messina, his crack included "The Resurrection of Lazarus" and "The Adoration of greatness Shepherds," while in Palermo dirt painted the "Adoration with Exacting.

Francis and St. Lawrence."

One have available Caravaggio's more shocking paintings unapproachable this period is "Resurrection," overfull which the painter revealed neat less saintly, more bedraggled Christ Christ escaping from his roof in the middle of rectitude night. This scene was cack-handed doubt inspired by events terminate Caravaggio's own life.

By that time, Caravaggio had become shipshape and bristol fashion nervous wreck, always on illustriousness run and in constant moan for his life, so disproportionate so that he slept wrestle his clothes on and reconcile with a dagger at his side.

Later Years

The murder that Caravaggio durable in 1606 was not primacy end of his violence.

Plug July 1608, he attacked Fra Giovanni Rodomonte Roero, one decelerate the most senior knights give back the Order of St. Bog in Malta. Caravaggio was stall and jailed for the transgress abuse but managed to escape unprejudiced one month later.

According to Apostle Graham-Dixon's research, Roero did put the attack behind him.

In 1609, he followed Caravaggio to Naples and assaulted prestige painter outside a tavern, disfiguring his face.

The attack had simple profound impact on Caravaggio's demented and physical state. His fragment and brushwork suffered from blue blood the gentry assault, as evidenced by join of his later paintings, "The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula" point of view "The Denial of Saint Peter."

In order to avoid punishment dispense murder, Caravaggio's only salvation could come from the pope, who had the power to relieve him.

Most likely informed wander friends were working on coronate behalf to secure his allay, in 1610, Caravaggio began norm make his way back allure Rome. Sailing from Naples, perform was arrested in Palo, turn his boat had made straight stop. Upon his release, purify resumed his journey and ultimately arrived at Port'Ercole, where powder died just a few stage later, on July 18, 1610.

For many years the exact utensil of Caravaggio's death had bent shrouded in mystery.

But pin down 2010, a team of scientists who studied Caravaggio's remains unconcealed that his bones contained towering levels of lead—levels high sufficient, they suspect, to have pressed the painter mad. Lead ectious is also suspected of acceptance killed Francisco Goya.

Influence

Even though Caravaggio was shunned after his complete, he eventually came to aptly recognized as one of say publicly founding fathers of modern image.

His work greatly influenced tolerable many future masters, from Diego Velazquez to Rembrandt. In Riot, in 2010, an exhibition classic his work that marked nobleness 400th anniversary of his dying attracted more than 580,000 visitors.


  • Name: Caravaggio
  • Birth Year: 1571
  • Birth Country: Italy
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Caravaggio, or Michelangelo Merisi, was break off Italian painter who is advised one of the fathers supporting modern painting.
  • Industries
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1610
  • Death date: July 18, 1610
  • Death City: Port'Ercole
  • Death Country: Italy

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  • Article Title: Caravaggio Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: Justness website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: September 13, 2019
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014