Rome: Caravaggio the cursed painter!

[P_LAVARDA]

Photo 1: Caravaggio, The conversion of Saint Paul (detail). Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo. Free entry

Today I want to offer you a trip to Rome to see the paintings of one of the fundamental painters in the Italian artistic world of the 17th century, but I think it is not wrong to say this also on a global level. One of the revolutionary painters regarding the use of light. Light-dark makes his paintings dramatic, full of life force, brute force most of the time. Paintings that also well interpret the soul of his executor, a cursed painter: Caravaggio.

Michelangelo Merisi was born in Caravaggio in 1588 and arrived in Rome at a very young age to be a painter. He has a violent and choleric character and frequents shady circles and ambiguous characters who will also be his models for his most famous paintings. Brothels and taverns consume his earnings. He alternates moments of great well-being with others of misery, while he squanders the money he earns, with games, wine and pleasures of the senses. However, he manages to win the favors of the Roman nobility and secure considerable orders, and when it seems that his life is oriented towards a bright future, he kills a rival in love and is sentenced to death.

He manages, also due to the complicity of some prelates, to flee to Malta. Here he realizes other notable works and gets the favors of the local potentates, so much so that he is made a Knight of Malta, but due to his continuous violent and lascivious behavior, the post will be revoked. With the paintings commissioned by an Italian cardinal, his patron, which would have resulted in the annulment of the death sentence, he returns to Italy, but in an attempt to disembark without being noticed by the gerdarmes, the crates with the paintings remain on board the ship that leaves for another destination. Shortly thereafter he died, but the causes of this event still remain a mystery. Some say due to illness, others at the hands of assassins by order of the Knights of Malta, others for the poisoning caused by the lead contained in the colors. We certainly know that he was only 38 years old.

Dear Local Guides, if you visit Rome there are 26 paintings by Caravaggio and many of these can be seen for free by entering some churches. Rome is also a great free museum, it is up to the traveler to gather the necessary information. Now I take you to visit some of these paintings that are found both in the churches with free admission and in state museums, you will also find the coordinates of maps.

Photo 2: Caravaggio, The conversion of Saint Paul. Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo. Free entry

Photo 3: Caravaggio, The Crucifixion of St. Peter. Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo. Free entry

Photo 4: Caravaggio, Saint Matthew and the angel. Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. Free entry

Photo 5: Caravaggio, Vocation of St. Matthew. Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. Free entry

Photo 6: Caravaggio, Martyrdom of St. Matthew (detail). Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. Free entry

Photo 7: Caravaggio, Madonna of the pilgrims (Madonna of Loreto). Basilica of Sant’Agostino in Campo Marzio. Free entry

Photo 8: Caravaggio, Good luck. Capitoline Picture Gallery.

Photo 9: Caravaggio, Judith and Holofernes. National Gallery of Ancient Art of Palazzo Barberini.

Photo 10: Caravaggio, Judith and Holofernes (detail). National Gallery of Ancient Art of Palazzo Barberini.

Photo 11: Caravaggio, Judith and Holofernes (detail). National Gallery of Ancient Art of Palazzo Barberini.

Photo 12: Caravaggio, Narcissus. National Gallery of Ancient Art of Palazzo Barberini.

Photo 13: Caravaggio, St. Francis in prayer. National Gallery of Ancient Art of Palazzo Barberini.

@DeniGu @PattyBlack @ErmesT @TravellerG @LuigiZ @davidhyno @renata1 @JaneBurunina @AntonellaGr

[PattyBlack]

Ricordi di studi scolastici sono affiorati leggendo la tua descrizione di questo genio nel tuo racconto @plavarda Ho avuto la fortuna di visitare, qualche anno fa, la Reggia di Venaria mentre c’era l’esposizione virtuale delle opere più famose di Caravaggio. È stata un’esperienza indimenticabile in un enorme salone con una musica magica di sottofondo. Sarei stata lì tutto il giorno, mi dava un senso di pace interiore indescrivibile. Forse perché quando vai in un muso e ti soffermi a guardare i dipinti sei comunque distratto da ciò che ti circonda e gli occhi non stanno concentrati abbastanza su uno che già si avviano sugli altri. Invece li riuscivo a concentrarmi sui dettagli perché il passaggio delle immagini era lento a sufficienza per darti modo di scrutare con calma. Che tipo però né

[P_LAVARDA]

@PattyBlack i suoi quadri rappresentano benissimo il suo animo e la sua vita. Luce, oscurità, sanguignità, voluttà. Una vita difficile sicuramente, bruciata, ma non sarebbe stato grande se non fosse stato così!

Un abbraccio cara.

Paolo

[TravellerG]

Thanks… These photos are magical!

And also the paintings…

How much time the artist might have taken to create these?

What a clarity? Every detail! Soooo clear…

What a marvelous post, my dear friend, @plavarda ?

You have triggered my memories too…

I too shall share a few PoIs in Rome, shortly.

Once again thank you for sharing this amazing post.

[LuigiZ]

Ciao @plavarda ,

those paintings are simply leaving us without words, breath taking! Well Caravaggio was a great artist and he left us very magnificent paintings, when you stop and look at them you can’t avoid to admire their greatness .

Thank you for sharing bit of his life with your trip.

[P_LAVARDA]

Grazie a te @LuigiZ

[davidhyno]

Ciao @plavarda !

A volte, quando mi trovo davanti a simili capolavori, mi trovo immerso in quell’epoca e immagino lo stupore della gente d’innanzi a simili dipinti. Non esistevano tv, fotografie o riviste, la gente poteva immaginare astrattamente certi racconti, leggende o luoghi distanti di cui aveva solo sentito parlare.

Il trovarsi di fronte a certe meraviglie, anche se il più delle volte era solo una rappresentazione personale dell’autore, poteva solo far rimanere a bocca aperta lo spettatore di fronte a tanta maestria che rendevano quasi vive le opere.

E pensa son passati ormai 4 secoli ma la meraviglie persiste tutt’ora!

Bellissimi tutti i quadri che hai riportato caro Paolo!

Ciao,

Davide

[P_LAVARDA]

Ciao @davidhyno Davide, non so di che anno tu sia, io del 55 ma io mi ricordo che la televisione quando ero piccolo era solo agli albori e la fantasia viaggiava sui libri di scuola, sui disegni e sulle rare fotografia del sussidiario. In fondo eravamo anche noi fino a poco tempo fa come 4 secoli fa, vivevamo di racconti, di qualche immagine, di fantasia! Non credi?

Un abbraccio!

Paolo

[TravellerG]

Hello My dear Paolo,

I request you to permit me to inform you that is have sent you a “Connect Private Message”; kindly respond when free.

Regards.

@plavarda