Secrets within Masters’ Paintings

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Caravaggio were each brilliant artists, but each also included unexpected features in some of their works. These secret messages and subtleties within their masterpieces went unrecognized for centuries, making the works of art even more astounding than what meets the eye. A prime example is a scientific secret hiding […]

The Last Caravaggio

By The National Gallery May 1610. Caravaggio is in Naples working on the last picture he would paint. Two months later, he dies under mysterious circumstances. But it was during his last, tumultuous years that Caravaggio produced some of his most striking works. His signature style included tightly cropped scenes and dramatic lighting. He used […]

Caravaggio and His Followers

By Keith Christiansen Trained in Milan and active in Rome (1592–1606), Naples (1606–7; 1609–10), Malta (1607–8), and Sicily (1608–9), Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610) was one of the most revolutionary figures of European art. His practice of painting directly from posed models violated the idealizing premise of Renaissance theory and promoted a new relationship between […]

Rediscovered Caravaggio Masterpiece “Ecce Homo” Debuts at Prado Museum

Caravaggio, a towering figure of the Italian Baroque, is renowned for his revolutionary use of chiaroscuro—an interplay of light and shadow that imbues his subjects with a visceral realism. Born Michelangelo Merisi in 1571 or 1573, Caravaggio led a tumultuous life marked by brawls, imprisonment, and even murder, culminating in his mysterious death at the […]

Life Lives Within Still Life Paintings

By Alexandra York Subject matter in still life paintings typically consists of mostly inanimate objects, often of common household usage, and has existed in one form or another since ancient times. Egyptians depicted foodstuffs on the walls within burial sites as offerings to the gods or to accompany the dead on their journey to the […]

Galleria Corsini, Caravaggio in Rome 6

After leaving the Vatican Museums, we head south and, following the Tiber River, we will reach the Corsini Palace. The palace houses half of the National Galleries of Ancient Art (we will visit the second half, the Palazzo Barberini, later in our itinerary). Just like in the Vatican Pinacoteca, there is only one masterpiece by […]

Caravaggio ~ Robert Hughes Full Documentary

  Fantastic biography of the great Italian painter. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Milan, September 29, 1571-Porto Ercole, July 18, 1610), known as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter, active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His painting combines a realistic observation of the human figure, both physically and emotionally, with a dramatic […]

Chiesa San Luigi dei Francesi: Caravaggio in Rome, part 1.

By Cedric Rischitelli Planning a visit to Rome can be challenging. There is something to see at each turn; no street lacks history, and even forgotten little churches can hide masterpieces inside their walls. Knowing this, it is normal to feel lost while planning a visit to the Italian capital. Therefore, it can be helpful […]

Basilica of Sant’Agostino in Campo Marzio: Caravaggio in Rome, part 2

By Cedric Rischitelli After leaving behind the Church of St. Louis of the French and the three Caravaggio’s masterpieces found there, we move on to our second destination in our itinerary of Rome. The next stop is The Basilica of St. Augustine in Campo Marzio, only two minutes away from the Church of St. Louis […]