The Art of Caravaggio

Paper Summary:

At the beginning of the 17th century, the artist, Michelangelo Merisi , who was called Caravaggio, began to paint in a manner that was at once new and exciting, as well as echoing the best of the Renaissance masters who had come before. This paper examines the era in which Caravaggio painted and in which he was commissioned to complete three paintings in the Contarelli chapel, the Cerasi chapel, and the Cherubini chapel. It focuses on his style and uniqueness, which made him one of the greatest artists of his time.

From the Paper:

"Caravaggio's earlier works were more secular in content and, along with the later religious compositions, were known for realism, simplicity, and piety. His turbulent private life lent a dramatic effect to his work that can be seen in the extensive use of shadow, particularly those works of the later period when he was running from and in between periods of imprisonment. "Vain and prone to violence, Caravaggio could not handle either success or rejection. The more eminence he achieved as an artist, the more tumultuous his life became" (Butterfield 32). He eventually fled Rome after having stabbed and killed a man and having a death warrant issued (Butterfield 33)."

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