In the summer of 1610, Caravaggio died on his way back to Rome by boat from Naples. Although his friends at the time said that Caravaggio died of fever, many later scholars believe that he was murdered by his enemies.
Today, no matter what kind of death he died or what kind of criminal karma he beared, it does not affect Caravaggio's artistic achievements. In fact, his works range from the original realist style to the exaggerated and almost crazy baroque style, which is also a portrayal of his life - from the obscure and bitter reality to the entrance to hell with only a little light.
Fruit Still Life
Caravaggio was born in 1571 in the Italian province of Lombardy, hence the name. At the age of 5, a plague took his father's life. Raised alone by his mother, at the age of 13 he began an apprenticeship in the studio of Simone Peterzano (a student of Titian) for 4 years.
After passing the first level of training, Caravaggio left Milan in 1592 and came to Rome to earn a living. In fact, there are various theories about the reasons for his departure from Milan. One of them was that he was forced to leave because he had an argument with the local guards.
Bacchus
During his first few months in Rome, Caravaggio had a difficult life, living without food and clothing. In order to earn a living, he began working as a gunman for the painter Giuseppe Cesari.
Two years later, Caravaggio left Cesari. Soon, he lost his job and his life went to a low ebb, but he also made a lot of very important friends – not only in the world of art collectors, but also in the world of street violence.
"Card Cheating Veteran"
During this period, he produced works such as "The Fortune Teller", "Card Cheating Veteran" and "Gambling", which were both realistic and original. Although he didn't make much money selling these paintings, he attracted the attention of many people.
For example, this "Card Cheating Veteran" brought Caravaggio his first Bole, Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte. Caravaggio not only received his patronage, but also lived in the Palazzo Mademar, where he began to concentrate on his work.
Part of "Card Cheating Veteran".
The religious revolution of the 16th century swept through Europe, and Protestantism, which advocated a free understanding of the teachings of the Bible, attacked the Holy See from all sides.
The Catholic Church, which has been far away from the faithful, can only use its rich possessions to highlight the sanctity of the Church and consolidate its position in the hearts of Christians by using music, painting, sculpture and other all-round arts. Therefore, all kinds of art with religious themes are an effective way to climb the road to fame.
Judi who cut off the head of Horofoni
Because of this, Caravaggio also began to paint works with religious themes. For example, "Mary Magdalene in penitence", "St. Catherine, Martha and Mary Magdalene", "Judi who cut off the head of Horofonne", etc., all added a lot of prestige to Caravaggio among connoisseurs and peers.
In 1599, Caravaggio was commissioned to begin work on the themes of The Martyrdom of St. Matthew and The Calling of St. Matthew, which was a great success. Caravaggio uses enhanced chiaroscuro to make the subject extremely dramatic. At the same time, his ability to accurately depict realism raises the intensity of emotions to a whole new level.
St. Matthew's Calling
After that, Caravaggio's creations became even more daring. For example, when creating the theme of "Assumption of the Virgin", most of the previous painters depicted the Blessed Virgin as if she were dead and alive, escorted home by angels, according to the description of the Bible.
But Caravaggio pulls the whole scene back from myth and legend to realization. In his portrayal, the Virgin becomes a dead person, and the whole scene becomes a real funeral. As a result, it is not difficult to imagine that the painting was rejected by the church.
The Death of Our Lady
In fact, Caravaggio's works in this period have a strong and ambiguous reality, just like his life. Fights and brawls are the daily business of this almost crazy painter, in addition to painting. However, thanks to the protection of his powerful patrons, he did not have to stay in prison for long.
On May 29, 1606, Caravaggio inadvertently killed a young man, possibly because of a fight over gambling debts. The Roman court pronounced the death penalty in Caravaggio's absence. And a reward in public, he must be caught, and whether he is alive or dead.
Detail of "The Calling of St. Matthew".
This time, the magnates did not dare to shield him anymore and had to help him flee to Naples, which was outside the jurisdiction of the Roman authorities. There, Caravaggio, under the protection of the Colonna family, became one of the most famous painters in Naples.
But just a few months later, he left Naples and headed for Malta. Because the head of the Knights of Malta, he liked him very much. You know, among this group of people who use the sword and the cross to serve God, the head of the regiment is no less important than the pope. If under his protection, Caravaggio's crimes could have been pardoned.
St. John the Baptist the Beheaded
Caravaggio was very happy at first. During his time in Malta, his major works include the monumental Beheaded St. John the Baptist (his only signed work) and the Portrait of Arove de Vignakout and his attendants, as well as portraits of other knightly leaders.
However, by the end of August 1608, he had been arrested and imprisoned for seriously wounding a knight in a fight with his regimental friends. By December, he had been expelled from the Order as "an abominable depraved regiment."
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist
Nine months after he fled to Sicily, Caravaggio still felt safest under the protection of the Colonna family and returned to Naples. Here he completed the creation of Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. In the large plate in the painting is Caravaggio's own head. He gave it to the head of the Order of Malta and begged for forgiveness.
At the same time, he also painted "David with the head of Goliath". The young David, with a strange sad look, looks at the giant's wounded head, which is still Caravaggio's. It is likely that he gave the painting to the cardinal's nephew, Hippione Borghese. Because as an avid art lover, Borghese held the power of pardon.
David with Goliath's Head
In the summer of 1610, under the operation of his powerful Roman friends, Caravaggio was finally pardoned. On his way back to Rome by boat from Naples to receive a pardon, he died.
What happened next is a matter of opinion. Some say that on the way back to Rome, he contracted a fever and died, while others say that he was killed by his enemies. What can only be confirmed is that Caravaggio did not receive the Pope's forgiveness in the end, and his belated confession could not be fulfilled.
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