"Bacchus", "Lute Player", "The Entombment" - all these canvases, known to any connoisseur of medieval paintings, were created by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The works of the creator, who had a huge influence on the development of painting, are so perfect and numerous that it seems as if he lived up to 100 years old, and did not die at 39. What is known about this mysterious man, about whom contemporaries and descendants composed many stories, often not having nothing to do with the truth?
Childhood and youth
If the researchers are not mistaken, in 1571 the brilliant creator Caravaggio was born in a small Italian town. The works created by him in the first years of his life, unfortunately, did not reach our contemporaries. The boy was born into the family of a we althy architect, but after 6 years he lost his father, who was taken away by the plague (according to other sources, typhus).
By the age of 13, it became clear how capable Caravaggio was of painting. The works of the novice creator made an impression on SimonePeterzano, who in 1584 agreed to take the gifted teenager to his workshop for training. Michelangelo spent only 6 years as a student, since in 1590 he also lost his mother, who also died of an illness. The young man received his part of the inheritance and entered into an independent life.
The works of the artist Caravaggio are beautiful, but their creator himself was prone to various vices, like many other creative personalities. He liked to spend his time indulging in gambling, arranging friendly drinking parties. No wonder the artist found himself penniless in Rome.
Black stripe
The first years of life in the Eternal City were unsuccessful for Caravaggio. The works written during that period can hardly be called successful. For the most part, these were unpretentious handicrafts, the stamping of which he was engaged in, working in the workshop of a certain Siciliano. The poverty that haunts the artist eventually leads him to a hospital bed. After recovering, he, after some time, returns to the hospital for the poor, unsuccessfully falling off his horse.
After recovery, he refuses the help of intermediaries and tries to work independently. It is possible that inspiration returns to the painter after a long break, since during this period he creates such canvases as “Penitent Magdalene”, “Fortuneteller predicting fate”. Later, researchers will name them among the best works of Caravaggio. Works (pictures) help him find the first serious patron, whombecomes Cardinal Monte.
Influential lord not only shares food with him, but also provides him with rich clients, which allows Michelangelo to forget about financial problems. The glory of the creator is growing, the black stripe is over.
Favorite stories
The works of the artist Caravaggio are extremely difficult to confuse with canvases painted by other masters, no matter how talented they are. The revolutionary abandons the idealization of religious subjects traditional for that time. The characters that come to life in his paintings look like real people. He presents thus Greek and Roman gods, biblical apostles, martyrs.
Each hero, without exception, is endowed with an underlined individuality if Caravaggio worked on his creation. The works, creativity of a genius amaze with their inherent drama, make an indelible impression. Not all customers agreed to take their orders after seeing the result. Fighters for "traditional" painting even often declared the master's paintings indecent.
Innovations by Caravaggio
What contribution did the artist make to the development of painting? He is credited with many different merits. Still life, everyday genre - these were not fashionable until the appearance of Caravaggio's works. Italian painting (and then world painting) was enriched with new directions thanks to Michelangelo. He fought desperately against the tradition of dividing genres, denoting "low" and "high" directions.
The painting system that the artist turned to was unique at that time. He focused on the foreground, achieving its bright lighting. The background became unexpressed, inconspicuous. Such a combination provided the optical effect of approximation. It seemed that the objects came to life in the paintings of Caravaggio. The works, the biography of the creator - everything indicates that he worked for hours on drawing the smallest details that look insignificant at first glance.
Early creative period
The artist, creating his first famous paintings, plays the role of an innovator, challenging established traditions, which he does not refuse in the future. In the period from 1591 to 1995, he creates such famous paintings as "The Lute Player", "Bacchus", "Boy with Fruit". By the way, the Hermitage is an obligatory place to visit for those who like the works written during this period by Caravaggio. The gallery provides visitors with the opportunity to admire the Lute Player.
All these paintings, which have taken pride of place in the creative heritage of Michelangelo, are united by the approach to the choice of heroes. As a rule, these are people "from the crowd." Caravaggio gladly paints portraits of ordinary young men, captivating with their sensual and at the same time rough beauty, transfers to paper the images of boys “from the people”. He depicts street musicians and merchants, gypsies and dandies.
The famous painter also addresses the theme of violence, as evidenced by such canvases as “Judith and Holofernes”, “The Sacrifice of Abraham”. Some ofhis paintings containing violent scenes are even frightening, as the author pays maximum attention to naturalism.
Later works of the artist
The paintings that the creator creates in the last years of his life are also of great value. For example, he paints a whole cycle of canvases, the main character of which is St. Matthew. The most famous of them is "The Calling of the Apostle Matthew". The gospel legend comes to life in a shabby little room, people from the people beloved by the genius become participants in the famous scene. He also creates other works dedicated to this topic by Caravaggio, the life and death of St. Matthew become a plot for him more than once.
Road to death
Despite the recognition that the master's talent received during his lifetime, he spends his last years hiding from the authorities. Michelangelo repeatedly finds himself in prison, accused of various crimes. After killing a man in a duel, he secretly leaves Rome, traveling from city to city. The artist spends some time in M alta, even being knighted, then leaving for Naples. Death overtakes him at the age of 39, the cause of which is malaria.
Interesting facts
Pictures are not all that our contemporaries got from Caravaggio. Works, self-portraits can tell a lot about him, but the research of researchers provides even more complete information. For example, it is known that the Italian never married, left no descendants. It is believed that he preferred same-sex relationships, which is indirectly confirmed by his love for the image of half-nakedboys.
It is interesting that a film was made about the life and death of Caravaggio, released in 1986. Sean Bean plays the role of the man with whom the artist is in a romantic relationship. Nowhere, except for the picture "Caravaggio", the actor did not play more of a homosexual.
Today, paintings by Caravaggio cannot be purchased. But any of them would be worth about $100 million if they were up for auction.
