Windows on History: Caravaggio

Caravaggio was an artist who drew his inspiration from the world around him. In his earlier works Caravaggio grappled with the challenge of how to put reality onto canvas. In his earlier works he is inexperienced, his art is playful and not yet completely refined. Caravaggio was always a unique character, but in his early career he was still living in Rome, not yet a murderer and this innocence can be seen in his work. As Caravaggio matures as an artist his life become more hectic, his choices less reasoned. With the chaos surrounding his life his religious side becomes more profound and all encompassing. His later works are incredible, gripping depictions of saints, without his own spirituality the images would not be so profound and riveting.

Caravaggio used light and contrast to his advantage, he chose earth tones, and painted reality onto canvas. Bacchino Malato is one of his early works that struck me most. The grapes looked real enough to pick off the canvas and eat, but were not idealized grapes, the imperfections were present. Young Bacchus is a model, the viewer is aware that Bacchus is not an invention from the mind of Caravaggio, but a live specimen. In Caravaggio’s earlier works the use of models is much more apparent. The viewer can see when the model has moved, or the position has changed because Caravaggio does not correct it completely. If the arm moves slightly then the arm in the painting becomes larger. Where Caravaggio had mastered the art of rendering reality of still objects onto canvas, humans still presented a challenge for him.

In his youth Caravaggio was a purest. He chose not to taint his paintings with his imagination. While it may have been a lack of confidence that caused him to use only models it seems more likely that his desire for reality to be shown on canvas was the true culprit. In his depiction of Bacchus he has chosen not to show the swaggering, healthy, vibrant drunkard, but instead a sickly younger boy, malnourished, yet still smirking mischievously at the grapes in his hand. This is meant to be a depiction of Caravaggio himself, it is said that his face is the face of Bacchus. By painting himself a sickly form of a impish pagan God he shows himself not only as a sickly soul, but also reveals to the viewer his more roguish character. Caravaggio was known for his fowl temper and unique unfriendly character. His Bacchus depiction could have been a warning to his ways, a sign that he might be a difficult young man to work with.

Using Bacchus as his subject one can also see a playful side to Caravaggio. He seems to be pushing boundaries and enjoying himself. He is not a commissioned artist at this time so he is able to create what moves him. This impish, playful nature can also be seen in his other works during this time, particularly the image of the nude, young Saint John. Caravaggio reveals his mischievous nature through his earlier works.

In his later works there is a shift from adolescent errors to a new and amazing understanding of the materials and models he was working with. All of the sudden the bodies of the characters are real. The viewer waits with baited breath to see the chest of St. Peter move up and down as he breaths or to hear his heart race as they pull him onto the cross. Where Caravaggio’s early works were stunted and static his later pieces have a life of their own. They capture the viewer because the moment Caravaggio has chosen to depict leaves the viewer questioning what led up to the moment and what will happen the second after.

The Napoli Museo Capodimonte houses Caravaggio’s Flagellation of Christ. In this painting the viewer can tell how Caravaggio has matured as an artist. He takes artistic liberties and is no longer afraid to correct body parts if the model moves. He is more aware of the human body and therefore does not draw strictly from what he views, but from his knowledge of the human body. The face of the standing torturer is more gruesome and less realistic because Caravaggio chooses to paint him so that his true evil nature shines through. The use of natural light illuminates Christ and shadows and hides the torturers. Caravaggio also has mastered the art of depicting completely three-dimensional images. The crouching torturer’s head is lit from the behind and obviously directly in front of, although not touching, Christ’s leg. As Caravaggio matured as an artist he began to take artistic liberties as well as became more aware of the human body and his own ability to depict it without being confined to his model. The realism of his depictions and his ability to choose the perfect captivating moment draws in and engages the viewer.

In Caravaggio’s later works he has run away from Rome over an indiscretion at a tennis match. He is constantly on the run and yet it is said that he became more devoted to the church and religion during this period than any other time in his life. Living piously and devoting himself to God. These later works show a shift from impish youth, depicting the Virgin Mary with an indecent amount of cleavage, to a refined older man who serves the church by creating works that violently, passionately grip and move the viewer. The change in Caravaggio’s work marks his move to adulthood. He is no longer a little boy who can be playful. His works show a devotion to God.

There is also a bit of a manic side to Caravaggio. What he sees in his head is conveyed to canvas and the images within his head are dark and gruesome. He sees the world with eyes that are clouded with disgust. His depictions are of what he sees in the world and the world to Caravaggio is a dark and vile place. He stormed around swathed in a black cloak, his face probably never lined with a smile. As Caravaggio grew up any pretense of playfulness and impish pleasure was washed away and replaced with a dark view on the world.



Caravaggio’s depictions, while often gruesome, are more engaging to me than viewing the lighter, more hopeful depictions of Catholocism and the afterlife. Caravaggio pulled on the heartstrings of his viewers and caused them to question their experience with religion and what God truly meant to them. Today, viewing Caravaggio’s works invokes the same questions and emotions. In the S. Maria del Popolo, two of Caravaggio’s commissioned works flank a brighter depiction of the heavens and of what awaits those who are good Christians. Caravaggio’s works actually force the viewer to contemplate their life on earth and what their actions truly mean. By bringing religion into the realm of reality and choosing to depict religious imagery in a tangible context, Caravaggio changes one’s relation with life, death, and the afterlife. Religion is not purely for the goal of the afterlife, but also becomes about one’s life on earth and how they choose to live.