Brief biography of Caravaggio. Caravaggio: Great Artist and Scandalous Buntard Cooking Sawla or Paul On the way to Damascus

Michelangelo Caravaggio (1571-1610) is an Italian artist who has refused to be characteristic of his era of painting manner and placed the beginning of realism. His works reflect the author's worldview, its irrepressible character. Michelangelo Caravaggio, whose biography is full of heavy moments, left an impressive heritage, still inspiring artists around the world.

Signs of era

The artist was born in 1571 in Lombardy. The name of the village (Caravaggio), in which Michelangelo was born, became his nickname. Historians celebrate that Italy's share in times, when Caravaggio lived and worked, there was a lot of tests. The country ruined wars and internal contradictions, complicated by the economic crisis. A church response came to replace some freedom of revival. All this could not affect art.

Manherism and academism

In the years when the Italian artist Michelangelo Caravaggio began to move along the creative path, painting began to fill in mystical plots, distant from reality. The mannerism supported by the Church, originated in the middle of the XVI century, was a direction of subjective, not aspiring to the harmony of the spiritual and bodily component.

A little later, almost at the end of the century, academic painting occurs. It is characterized by simplicity of composition and monumentality of forms, opposed by manherism. Artists who preferred academism appealed to antiquity with its idealized heroes and images, noted reality as not worthy of attention.

Michelangelo Caravaggio - Artist-Novator

Created Caravaggio Direction, named after his death "Caravaggism", originates in the picturesque traditions of northern Italy. One of the teachers of Michelangelo Merisi in Milan was Simone Petersano. It is probably that his artist has learned to use the contrast of the light and the shadows, which subsequently became one of the main distinguishing features of many of his canvases.

Michelangelo Caravaggio in his work continued the tradition of the realistic approach of the masters of Northern Italy. He did not become a follower of mannerism or academism, but marked the beginning of a new flow, often having criticized from both other painters and churches. However, some religious figures patronized Caravaggio. Among them should be noted Cardinal del Monte, who favored the artist from 1592 to 1594, when Michelajell lived and worked in Rome.

A resident of the province

Michelangelo Caravaggio, biography, creativity and the whole life of which are inextricably linked with provincial cities, even in the canvases for religious topics, portrayed ordinary people. The heroes of his paintings are far from the ancient ideals, they could be found on the streets of Italian villages. The artist in a set created genre canvases (for example, "fortune teller", "young man with lute"), in a realistic manner transmitting the life of a simple people. In his pictures, captured various plots from the Holy Scriptures, not canonical details, who made ministers of the church and martyrs not idols appeared, but simple and understandable people. Among such canvases can be called "Magdalen" and "Apostle Matthew".

Karavago's characteristic of the work - this is a realism, sometimes gaining up to extreme naturalism, a concise composition, a game of light and shadow, the use of a restrained color gamut.

"The vocation of the apostle Matthew"

The famous cycle of works for the Church of San Luigi Dei Francise, depicting the episodes of the life of St. Matthew, the artist created in the last decade of the XVI century. The best among them is often called "the vocation of the apostle Matthew". A special expressiveness composition acquires due to the contrast of light and shadow. All the main details: - The finger of Christ, the face of the apostle - brightly lit. The shadow covers the insignificant elements of the canvas. Light creates a special movement of the picture, directs the view of the viewer. The artist and in this picture found a place for realism and details characteristic of everyday situations. He portrayed the Holy Matthew, a collector of grants, who considers money along with the assistants. All the characters of the paintings, except Christ and the Apostle Peter, are dressed in modern for Caravaggio costumes. The artist's skill found an expression and in the image of persons of heroes.

Movement to the goal in no matter

Stubborn, irrepressive and complete rapid energy - such describe historians-art historians Michelangelo Merisi. He persistently developed realism, despite the criticism and opposition of the church. The most significant work by the artist created in 1600-1606 years. These include the "Vision of Saul", "Martyr Death of the Apostle Peter", "Assumption" and others. These paintings caused the disapproval by the church due to the deviation from the adopted image manner, unnecessary, according to Catholic dignitaries, realism and materialism.

Glory and escape from Rome

"Position in the coffin" is one of the webs of Michelangelo Caravaggio, whose photo invariably accompanies the description of the artist's biography. An unusually strong emotional effect produced by the canvas, the master reached with the help of black and white contrast. The work was created for the Church of Santa Maria in Valleylla in the eternal city. The drama plot of the position in the coffin of the body of the Savior was written by an artist in white, red and blue tones, the intense confrontation of which multiplies the effect of the game of light and shadow. This canvas recognized as a masterpiece not only among fans and followers of the master, but also his enemies.

And at that moment, when Michelangelo Caravaggio reached Glory, fate prepared another test for the artist. In 1606 he had to flee from Rome after a duel. A quarrel during the game in the ball had fateful consequences: Karavago killed the enemy and was forced to leave the city.

Last years

Hiding from justice, the artist continue to work, although the conditions for his life sometimes became unbearably heavy. In Naples, he wrote "Madonna with rosary", "seven cases of mercy." The last picture of the names mentioned is a union of several different plots. Despite the complex composition, the canvas does not disintegrate into separate parts. The artist managed to compose the plots into a single whole.

In Malta, quenching with no one, Caravaggio went to jail, and then fled to Sicily. The work of the last period of the masters's life is poorly preserved. Pictures related to this time are full of drama. These include "the burial of St. Lucia, "" Condition of the head of John Baptist "," worship of shepherds. " These paintings combines the night space, protruding the background for the main action and reluctantly broken down, showing the heroes of the canvas.

Recent years, Caravaggio spent in Sicily's wraps. Shortly before the death, he went to Rome, where he was promised help in obtaining forgiveness from Pope. However, and then fate was not located to take him towards. On the way to the eternal city, the artist fell ill. He died in Porto D'Erkla in 1610 from fever.

The Italian artist Michelangelo Caravaggio, whose photo works are decorated with all the works on the history of the art of the XVII century, has had a huge impact on the development of painting. It is difficult to imagine how many more masterpieces could create a master, not to collapse his life in 38 years. However, the fact that the artist managed to create, made it one of the most revered masters of the past. Becoming the investment of realism, he inspired to create masterpieces of many famous painters of Western Europe. Rubens, Rembrandt, Velasquez and many others belong to their number. The followers of Michelangelo Merisi in Italy began to call themselves as Karavagisti, giving tribute to the pioneer of the genre.

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Caravaggio had a lot of followers. And enemies. It is difficult to assess who more. Some copied and used its innovative methods.

Others sought to destroy it. And do everything to forget about his work forever. In part, they succeeded. About Caravaggio forgotten for whole three centuries.

But historical justice enthusiasm. In the 20th century, the world realized his genius. As said art historian Roberto Long, "there would be no ribery without Caravaggo, or. And Delacroix, and wrote differently. "

His life looks like an adventure novel. With a sad finale. In 1610, at the age of 39, Caravaggio disappeared without a trace. Did he die from malaria, as his contemporaries asserted? Or killed him?

Now let's try to figure out how Caravaggio was able to attract so many followers. Nude so many enemies. And what led him to death.

1. Famous Teborazo Caravaggio.

Caravaggio is very recognizable by the manner of Tebohroso. This is when in the background - solid darkness. And the figures and items are illuminated by the only inequer light source. This light is like a very surround image from the gloom. Spectacular. Emotionally. Dramatically.

1602 National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin. WGA.hu.

Tebogeneos Some artists scolded. Calling the painting of Caravago "basement". Others, on the contrary, borrowed it. Moreover, they made it basement literally. And they opened their workshops in real basements with one source of light.

Murillo. Small beggar. 1650. Artchive.ru.

2. The extraordinary realism of Caravaggio

From the very beginning, Caravaggio for realism. Even the gods he did not want to idealize. His famous "Vakh" is depicted with dirt under the nails. And the fruits are scrambled with caterpillars. No idealization. And special divinity. Rather, the swimmer pretending to God.

Caravaggio. Bacchus. 1598 Uffizi Gallery, Florence. WGA.hu.

Caravaggio attracts the most plausible as possible and biblical stories. Look at his picture "Unbelief of St. Thomas". The wizard shows this plot very realistic. Not avoiding even the most unpleasant details. Saint Thomas penetrates his finger into the wound of Christ. Do not believe in his resurrection.

No symbolism. Everything is very literally.

Caravaggio. Disbelief of the Apostle Thoma. 1601-1602 Palace San Sust, Potsdam, Germany. Wikimedia.commons.com

3. Pictures of Caravaggio were often rejected by customers

Sports for their paintings Karavago found among street beggars and prostitutes. And forged the canvas many of their features. Dirty heels, bald, deep neckline. It turned out that Caravaggio was against the "scenic edict". This law has forbidden to give the faces of the holy features of ordinary people.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the ministers of his work often did not like him. After all, the faces on the canvas could be recognized by parishioners. And there is already not far to the exclosed "whore in the temple!"

So, his picture "Madonna with a snake" was kept in the Cathedral of St. Peter only two days. Exactly because of this reason. Caravaggio posed his beloved Lena. She lived in a riding courtyard in Rome. It was a quarter of prostitutes and gangsters. It may have been an ordinary woman. But because of the place of residence, a priori belonged to the ladies of lung behavior.

Caravaggio. Madonna with a snake. 1605-1606 Borghese Gallery, Rome

Refused from the "Assumption of St. Mary". This picture was written in order for the church of Santa Maria della Rock. However, customers were extremely outraged by the work received.

Other artists, Holy Maria, at the time of his death, were depicted rather asleep. Or happily ascended to the son of heaven. As, for example, in the picture of Karachchi, Contemporary Caravaggio.

Annibal Karachchi. Holy Mary's Assumption. 1600-1601 Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

Caravaggio also saw the dead Maria. For real. Her body has a swollen. The skin is extremely pale. Bareboard, she lies in the surroundings of the apostles. They are flawed in their loss. No glorious ascension. Only sorrow and sadness.

Caravaggio. Mary's Assumption. 1602-1606 Louvre, Paris. WGA.hu.

4. Karavago was an aggressive and hot-tempered person

Caravaggio was very quick-tempered and scorch. With a sword on the advantage, he could be a week to wander around the banks. It was easy to hurt his pride. In this case, the restaurant flew a plate with food. Or broke the sword. So contemporaries Caravaggio understood that this genius had very little chance to live a long life.

His patrons and friends were surprised, as such an aggressive person could have written true love and tenderness. As, for example, in the picture "Rest on the way to Egypt".

Caravaggio. Holidays in Egypt. Fragment. 1598 Doria Pamphili Gallery, Rome. WGA.hu.

Although, of course, dark, tragic plots prevail in his works. Especially sinister and bloodthirsty is his masterpiece "Condition of the head of John the Baptist". Particularly sensitive is better not to look (and not read description).

Caravaggio. Condition of Head of John the Baptist. 1608 Saint John's Cathedral, Malta. Wikipedia.ru.

Most of the painting - in darkness. And the central figure of the composition - the Ball. He just cut his throat saint. And already cooked dagger to cut off his head. It is terrible only Salome. She so calmly substitutes a copper dish for the head of the executed! What is just a blood blowing in the veins.

The very moment of murder is depicted. So it could only write to the one who watched the killed in his eyes.

Yes, Caravaggio was a killer. But not calculating. In the heat of another fight after the verbal pass, he killed a man. Ranuchcho Tomasoni. What then sorry very much. This is obviously one of his last works. In the picture "David with head of Goliath".

Caravaggio. David from the head of Goliath. 1609-1610. Borghese Gallery, Rome. Artchive.ru.

So no one has shown anyone else. The young man is crushed and with sadness in his eyes looks at the head of the defeated enemy. No triumph. No pride for yourself.

There is a version that this is a double self-portrait Caravaggio. In the image of David - his bright side of the soul. In the image of Goliath - dark. This picture is a sentence to himself. For murder. For deprivation of the life of another person.

5. The mystery of the death of Caravaggio has not yet been solved

For the murder of Karavago was sentenced to death. He fled from Rome. But it was the beginning of the end. His life inevitably went to Sunny.

True for a while snapped hope for salvation. When Caravaggio got into Malta to the crusaders knights. He wrote a few masterpieces here. Including for the Maltese Cathedral. He was produced in the knights. Now there was much more chance of achieving Pope Pope.

But again something went wrong. Another fight. Jail. Flight on Sicily.

Here is the official version of the death of the artist. More in Malta Karavago received a written pardon from Rome. In Sicily, he sits on the ship. To return to the eternal city. But the captain of the ship landed him halfway in one of the ports. Allegedly suspecting the criminal in him. After that, the artist was forced to walk to another city, Porto Ercla.

The path ran through a wetland. There he picked up malaria. He was found without the consciousness of the landowner. He picked up the artist. But he soon died. His body was thrown into the sea in order not to distribute infection.

Caravaggio. Ecstasis Saint Magdalene. 1610. Private collection. One of the last works of the master. It may have been written in parallel with the picture "David from the head of Goliath".

This version is set out in the letter of this landowner to one of the Roman Cardinals. Almost everything in this story seems contrived. No one, except the owner of those lands, did not admit that he saw the artist alive or dead.

And most importantly, why did Captain landed Caravaggio ashore? After all, half the amount for the passage passenger paid upon arrival.

And why Karavago went to Porto Ercla, when he needed to get to Rome? And Rome was much closer, but on the other side. I did not confuse Caravaggio Road!

In 2010, in the town of Porto Ercla, where Caravaggio was allegedly sent, they found his remains. Many art historians doubt the authenticity of the find. The benefit for the town itself is too obvious. After all, the discovery was made exactly the 400th anniversary of the artist's death. Now Caravaggio has a grave and even the park around it. Not bad bait for tourists.

My version…

I think he was killed by Sicily. Or he was overtaken by members of the Winchuco clan. After all, blood revenge was almost common in those times. Or revived by Caravaggio Maltese knights.

Whatever the killers, they clearly got rid of the body. And invented the story of "Return to Rome". In order to send those who want to investigate this case, on a false path.

It is possible that Karavago at some point he himself surrendered to the persecutors. Because tired of the chase. Because he was tormented by the flour of conscience (judging by the picture). Because in Rome, his beloved Lena was no longer waiting for him (shortly before death, he found out that she died from CHAKHETOP).

Well, we can only guess. After 400 years, it is hardly possible to find the truth for someone.

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September 29, 2018

The phenomenal creativity of the genius, inverted generally accepted ideas about painting, was fundamentally influenced by the entire course of the development of visual art not only in Italy, but also throughout Europe. The reserved rebel and a unknown rebel, an exceptional talent and a real genius - all this is about Caravaggio, a great artist and an experimenter who has become a reformer of European painting and, overnight, one of the most scandalous artists of all time.

Caravaggio. Self-portrait

Biography Karavaggio.

Michelangelo Merisi, so the artist's real name sounds, was born on September 29, 1571 in the family of secured and quite famous in his time Architect Farm Merisi in Milan. Date of birth is inaccurate, because there were no documents on this bill. Only an actuator record about baptism dated on the 30th of September, which says: "The 30th was baptized by Michelangelo, the son of Fermo Merisi and Lucia De Oratoribus." On September 29, the holiday of Archangel Mikhail is celebrated in the Catholic Church and, apparently, therefore, the artist's birth is thought this day. Michelangelo had a younger sister named Katerina and two brothers, one of which was subsequently a clergy.

In 1577, during the next outbreak of the plague, the family, salting, was forced to leave in the native town of Farmo and Lucia, to Caravaggio, located near Milan. However, this monstrous disease still managed to overtake the Merisi family, having carried away the life of the father, grandfather and grandmother Michelangelo.

After the end of the epidemic, in 1584, Caravaggio returned to Milan and began learning the Azam painting in the workshop Simone Petersano, the student of the famous Titian. Here he is not only increasing the subtleties of the pawnshop school, but also received his first experience. Unfortunately, the early works of Merisi, written in Milan, were not preserved to this day.

Pictures of Caravaggio in Palazzo Barberini

In 1592, shortly after the death of his mother, Michelangelo, selling the property of the parents and delivering the money from the brothers, went to Rome. Although the first documentary confirmation of the Merisi in Rome and refers to 1596, this does not exclude the likelihood that the artist came to the Eternal City much earlier. Perhaps the young man succeeded to the rampant life simply enjoyed a comfortable existence of money received after the sale of inheritance. And when the last end, he had to look for work. So, in the 96th year, he found himself in the workshop of the Sicilian artist Lorenzo Carly.

Youth with a basket of fruit. Caravaggio. 1593-1594

However, one of the biographers - Giovanni Pietro Bellory - in his records argues that Michelangelo Merisi, before arriving in Rome, together with Petersano made a trip to Venice, where he received the experience of the famous Venetian school. No documentary confirmations of the stay of Caravaggio in this period in Venice today was not found, as well as references in the writings of other biographers. And the influence of the Venice school of painting on the formation of the style of Caravaggio could have happened without his trip to the brilliant republic.

Caravaggio in Rome

In one of the life of the artist, it is mentioned that since 1594, Merisi lived with his friend Pandolfo Puchchi, thanks to which he received his nickname - Montignor Insalat, in honor of the salad (for IT. insalata.), which was the only food product in the diet of Michelangelo. This confirms the fact that in the 94th year the Merisi remained completely without money and without a roof over his head.

In Rome, Karavago worked with such artists as Lorenzo Carli, mentioned above, antiveuto gramatic, creative relationships with whom were very violent and, in the end, with Giuseppe Cezari, in the workshop of which Merisi spent several months in the workshop. During this period, Caravaggio helped paint one of the chapel in the Basilica of San Prassed. Relationships with Cesari were interrupted after sudden illness and hospitalization of Caravaggio.

In 1597, thanks to Prospero Orsi, a close friend of the artist, Michelangelo Merisi notes Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monty, a famous cultural figure and a passionate fan of the arts. He not only appreciated the talent of a young master and acquired for his collection some of his work, but also took Karavago to his service. From this point on, the fame of the Lombard artist began to grow inexorably in the circles of Roman nobility. His works performed in a completely new, unprecedented style, became the subject of lively discussions. This period is a turning point in the work of Caravaggio: multifigure compositions began to appear on its canvases. One of the first works of this period was the painting "Holidays in Egypt".

Holidays in Egypt. Caravaggio. 1596-1597.

Literally in a few years, the fame of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio reached incredible heights, turning the artist into a living legend. Thanks to Cardinal Del Monti, Caravaggio received a major public order for writing calens dedicated to the lives of St. Matthew for Capelli Kontarelli in the Church of San Luigi Dei Francise. These works artist fulfilled in less than a year.

Pictures of Caravaggio in the Church of San Luigi Dei Francise

After that, the Master began to write pictures for: "Crucifixion of St. Peter" and "Apostle Paul's Appeal" by order of Montsignor Tiberio Cherasi for its own family chapel.

Crucifix Peter. Caravaggio. 1601

Savla's appeal. Caravaggio. 1601

Provocateur and genius Caravaggio

The popularity of Caravaggio did not cease to grow as well, as not the conversations about him. His creativity was admired exactly the same as much as they condemned, and Merisi continued to create his scandalous works and provoke society.

Salome with the head of John the Baptist. Caravaggio. 1607

The hot-tempered character of the artist, addiction to gambling and noisy parties continued to destroy his life, and even multiple arrests could not tame the rebellious nature of the genius.

Giovanni Pietro Bellory, one of the first biographers of the artist, more than once describes cases of participation of Caravaggio in mass skirts. During one of such skirmishes, a young man died in Milan. All suspicions fell on the avid Buntar Merisi, who had to urgently escape from the city in order to avoid arrest. So the genius was in Rome, but this case did not become his lesson.

The complex character of the artist has repeatedly led to sad consequences. Caravaggio was repeatedly arrested due to its outrageous behavior, participation in fights and defeat, illegal weapons, etc. And once, Michelangelo was attracted to the court for writing that, together with her friends, he wrote and distributed the offensive poems in the address of another artist Giovanni Balon. In 1605, Merisi was forced to flee from Rome to Geno for a few weeks, because he was used to a knife with a famous notary with whom he had to talk because of his beloved. Famous state figures and influential friends often saved from the arrests and prison consensions of Caravaggio. They say that the French ambassador came to help repeatedly. But this continued not always.

Holy Family with John the Baptist. Caravaggio. About 1603

On May 28, 1606, during the game in the ball on the Marsfield, Caravaggio clung to Mariano Pasculon. The exact cause of the fight was so nobody learned. Some said that a woman was standing between them, others - that the cause was political disagreement. But be that as it may, as a result of Merisi, was seriously injured, and his opponent was killed. Despite the fact that Michelangelo managed to disappear from the crime scene, the court in this case was still held, even without the participation of the accused.

Filippo I column. Engraving.

This time, the judicial verdict was very cruel: Karavago was sentenced to behead. Now, the Merisi and the street was unsafe - the verdict could fulfill any, identifying the guilty. Perhaps Caravaggio was just lucky, because this time he came to the rescue. Filippo I column. A not only helped the artist to escape from Rome not only helped the artist, but also provided a series of evidence of Michelangelo's innocence, providing his numerous relatives to this witness. After a few months, the column sent Caravaggio to Naples to his relatives, where he stayed almost a year. During this time, the master managed to create many works, including:

• "Holy Family with the Saint John the Baptist" (1607) is currently stored in a private collection;
• "Salome with the head of John the Baptist" (1607), located in the National Gallery Foundation in London;
• "Madonna Rosaria", written in order for the Karaf-Column family - one of the most significant works of this period.

Madonna Rosary. Caravaggio. 1607

After Naples Caravaggio, remaining under the protection of the column, went to Malta. Here the Merisi met the Grand Master of the Order of St. John Jerusalem (Maltese Order) and after a year, in July 1608, after the passage of special training was dedicated to Cavalers. It seemed a life began to be improved, but the perfect character of the artist and then makes itself felt. After a serious quarrel with the cavalier of the Order, who was ranked above, it turned out the communion of the Merisi to the murder in Rome. As a result, he was arrested. But here Karavago accompanied luck. He managed to escape from the conclusion and to get to Sicily without any problems, where he stayed at his long time.

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Last years of the life of Caravaggio

Soon after that, Caravaggio returned to Naples, where in the summer of 1609, unknown people attacked him, trying to kill. The attempt, fortunately, was unsuccessful, but rumors about his death already crawled around the city. Here, in Naples, Merisi lived in the Marquise Constance of the column almost a year, until the news came from Rome that Pavel V prepares a document about his pardon.

Pope Pavel V. Caravaggio. Date of unknown

In July 1610, Caravaggio went to Rome on a small ship that carried out periodic flights between Naples and Porto Ercla (Tuscany). This flight did not provide for an approach to the port of Ladispoli, where Caravaggio should have passed, but according to certain agreements, the artist's trip should take place that way. Unforeseen circumstances did not allow the vessel moored at this destination, and the Merisi had to leave the board without baggage. Everything would not be so sad if in the chests of the maestro was not quite valuable cargo - written agreements with Cardinal Shipione Borghese about the pardon of Caravaggio in exchange for some of his canvas. And the ship, meanwhile, continued his way. Here, the famous artist again came to the rescue and helped to arrive at the Ercla in Porto, in order to pick up the necessary. But as he tried him, the ship was already set off in the opposite direction and now it would be possible to pick up the cherished document, only returning to Naples.

Caravaggio (Caravaggio; real name and surname Michelangelo da Merisi, Michelangelo Da Merisi), Italian painter. The largest representative of the Baroque era. Until the early 1590s studied from the Milan artist S. Petercano; In 1592 he went to Rome, on the road, perhaps visited Venice. Formed under the influence of North-Italian masters (J. Savoldo, A. Marettos, J. Romanino, L. Lotto). Some time worked as an assistant to the Roman artist-manurista J. Cesari (Kavaler D'Arpino), in the workshop of which he fulfilled his first works ("Boy with a fruit basket", 1593-94; "Sick Vakh", about 1593, both - in the Borghese Gallery , Rome). Thanks to the trading of Maestro Valentino's paintings, Caravaggio became acquainted with Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, who became the patron saint of the master and introduced it to the artistic environment of Rome. For Cardinal Del Monte, the best paintings of the early Roman period were written: "Vakh" (1595-97, Uffizi Gallery, Florence), "Butterist" (1595-97, Hermitage, St. Petersburg), "Fruit basket" (1598-1601 , Pinakotek Ambrosian, Milan). In the works of the end of the 1590s, the skill of the illusionistic transmission of realities (which is especially noticeable in still lifes, which the artist includes in its paintings) is connected to its poetry. Full poetic charm and classic reminderscences Mythological images of allegory ("Concert", 1595-97, Metropolitan Museum, New York; "Amur-winner", about 1603, art gallery, Berlin) In addition to literally, the hidden meaning, understandable formed Roman public of that time and frequently inaccessible to the modern viewer.

At this time, Caravaggio opens up new opportunities for painting, first appealing to still life and "adventurous" genre ("fortune teller", about 1596-97, Louvre, Paris), which was further developed among his followers and became very popular in European painting 17th century, As well as to the image of the mythological image as a common type ("Narcissus", 1598-99, the National Gallery of Old Art, Rome). In his early religious works, the poetic interpretation of the plot as a moral example ("St. Marfa talks with Maria Magdalina", about 1598, the Institute of Arts, Detroit; "St. Ekaterina Alexandria", about 1598, the collection of Tissren-Borneysis, Madrid), how deep mental experience ("St. Mary Magdalen", about 1596-97, Doria-Pamfili Gallery, Rome; "Ecstasy of St. Francis", 1597-98, Wesworth Atheneum, Hartford, USA), as a manifest divine presence in the world ("Rest On the way to Egypt, "1596-97, Doria-Pamphili Gallery, Rome) connects with full drama scenes with violence and death (" Judith ", about 1598, National Gallery of Old Art, Rome;" Abraham Sacrifice ", 1601-02, gallery Uffizi. Florence).

The first major church order of Caravaggio became the cycle of paintings for the Kapella of French Cardinal Matteo Kontarelli in the Church of San Luigi Dei Francise (1599-1600) in Rome. In the scenes of the vocation and martyrdom of the apostle Matthew Karavaggio fundamentally updates the concept of a religious picture, in which the light, transforming and dramatizing evangel event begins to play a special role. In the "calling of the apostle Matthew" (see illustration of the article Jesus Christ) The light, cutting the darkness of the room, has both real physical nature and metaphorical meaning (the Light of the Divine Truth, illuminating the path to salvation). The fascinating expressiveness of the paintings of Karavaggio is built on the ability to accurately convey the real motive, while not reducing it to everydayness. The first version of the altar painting for Capella "St. Matthew and Angel "(1602, died in Berlin during the 2nd World War) was rejected by customers due to the unnecessarous appearance of the apostle. In the final version (1602-03), Caravaggio achieved greater coherence and solemnity of the composition, while retaining the living impedition in the appearance and movement of two figures.

In 1601, Caravaggio wrote two paintings - "Appeal by Sawla" and "Crucifixion of the Apostle Peter" for Capella T. Cheraszi in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. In them, as in the cycle for Capella Kontarelli, the expression has found a new religious worldship, which is characteristic of the time of counterfeiting: the ordinary everyday life of human being is transformed by the divine presence; Sincere faith of poor and the suffering is manifested in piety, clean the folk mercy. Each work of Caravaggio is a living fragment of reality depicted with maximum accuracy and deeply experienced by the artist who is trying to comprehend the events of Christian history, to understand their motivating causes and prevent their reflections in plastic forms that obey the laws of figurative dramaturgy. The realism of the religious works of Caravaggio, distant from the ideals of the beautiful worked by the masters of the Renaissance, is close to the religious ethics of St. Carla Borryoye and the People's Poieness F. Neri, which is especially noticeable in such works of the Roman period, as "Christ in Emmaus" (1601, National Gallery, London) , "Foma's assurance" (1602-03, Palace San Sust, Potsdam), "Madonna with pilgrims" (1604-05, Church of Sant-Agostino, Rome) and "Madonna with a snake" (1605-08, Borghese Gallery), "Saint Jerome" (1605-06, Borghese Gallery). The best works of Caravaggio of this time are distinguished by dramatic strength: "Coffin position" (1602-04, Vatican Pinakotek) and "Mary's Assumption" (about 1600-03, Louvre, Paris), in which he reaches the completeness of creative maturity. Powerful contrasts of light and shadow, common uncomplication of images, expressive laconism of gestures with an energetic laying of plastic volumes and saturation of a sonorous color allow the artist to achieve an unprecedented depth and sincerity in the transfer of a religious feeling, encourage the audience to empathize the events of the evangelical drama.

The independent nature of Caravaggio often led him to clashes with the law. In 1606, while playing the ball, Caravaggio in a quarrel committed the murder, after which he fled from Rome to Naples, from where in 1607 he moved to the island of Malta, where he was adopted in the Maltese Knight's Order. However, after a quarrel with a high-ranking member of the Order, the artist was thrown into prison, from where he fled to Sicily Island. Because of the persecution by the Maltese Order, who killed him from his ranks, decided to return to Rome in 1610, hoping for the help of influential patrons, however, on the road died of fever. During the wavelets, Caravaggio created a number of outstanding works of religious painting. In Naples in 1606-07, he wrote for the Church of San Domenico-Maggira large altar paintings "Seven Mercy Affairs" (Church of Pio Monte-della-Miserikondi, Naples), "Madonna Kolotok" (Artistic and Historical Museum, Vienna) and " Bacheling of Christ "(Capodimont Museum, Naples); In Malta in 1607-08 - "Condition of the head of John the Baptist" and "Holy Jerome" (both - in the church of John the Baptist, Valletta); In Sicily in 1609 - "The burial of St. Lucia "For the Church of Santa Lucia (Regional Museum of Palazzo Belleo, Syracuse)," Resurrection of Lazarus "for the Genoese merchant Ladzari and" Worship of Pastukhov "for the Church of Santa Maria-deli Angeli (both in the National Museum, Messina). Strain drama inherent in the art of the artist acquires in its later work the nature of the epic tragedy. The monumental canvas constructed on the ratio of a deaf, dark background and major figures of the first plan, illuminated by flares of pulsating light, have an extraordinary power of emotional impact, involve the viewer in the events. To the last years of the life of Caravaggio also includes the painting "David from the head of Goliath" (about 1610, Borghese Gallery, Rome), where in the appearance of Goliath, whose head David holds on his hand stretched forward, guessed the features of the artist himself.

Cartajo's work had a great influence on modern art not only Italy, but also Europe as a whole, touched most of the artists who worked then (see Caravaggism).

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