Uffizi Gallery, Florence - Monday, June 2nd
A very dramatic and passionate artist who's extreme temper and erratic behaviour came through in his art which inspired succeeding generations of followers all over Europe.
Born in Caravaggio, Lombardy in Northern Italy, he moved to Rome in 1592 at the age of 21 where he worked on still life's until 1595 when his abilities were recognized by an eminent Cardinal, Francesco del Monte. Through the cardinals network he began to receive his first commissions, and became a celebrity nearly overnight.
Caravaggio's fast and angry temper soon led to a string of arrests for abuse of the police, throwing artichokes at a waiter, carrying a sword in public and the list goes on yet his powerful contacts forced the magistrate to release him time and again. It wasn't until he went to far,
killing a man during an argument, that he was forced to flee Rome, no doubt to wait for yet another pardon. The more successful he became, the more the villain emerged. He fled to Naples where a bounty was offered for his death. His body was not required, simply his severed head, a statement that would lead to one of his greatest works. Caravaggio's career flourished in Naples, where the rich showered him with commissions and seemed to have more acceptance of the artists behaviour. Caravaggio worked quickly, directly creating onto a canvas, the agression and passion he lived with by day crossed over to his art, the city of Naples couldn't get enough of it. Moving on to the Island of Malta, he was embraced by the Knights through the painting of his masterpieces and eventually invested as a Knight himself. All this would come to an end due to his own temperament once again, forcing him to return to Naples, where he was attacked and gravely injured. It was here that he painted David with the Head of Goliath, a great testament to the artists character for it is his head that David appears to be holding. Repentance for his behaviour or arrogant sarcasm?
In 1610 he was granted pardon for his murder charges in Rome once again thanks to his rich followers. Setting sail for Rome, he carried with him three paintings, gifts for his protectors. At some point, he was detained and his paintings set sail without him, taking off quickly in an attempt to retrieve them, the heat and perhaps previous injuries appeared to have been to much and Caravaggio died of unrecorded reasons.
Caravaggio left behind fewer then 100 works, some of which we were able to see in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The Uffizi offers the ability to compare and contrast the changing styles of great works of art over time. Caravaggio's pieces are both vivid and real. They are a great contrast to earlier Italian works on display and were clearly influential to those that followed.
Fortunately, leaving Italy does not mean leaving Caravaggio's great works, the National Gallery of Canada is currently in possession of a dozen of his works which are on display from June 17th - September 11th
Shannon, Victoria, Calvin
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