| Caravaggio
was born Michelangelo Merisi in 1573, in Caravaggio in the south of Italy.
Working in Milan and Rome he became known by the name of his birthplace.
He was orphaned at 11, and was apprenticed to the painter of Milan for
four years. At some time between 1588 and 1592, Caravaggio went to Rome
and worked as an assistant to painters of lesser skill, so about1595 he
began to sell his paintings through a dealer. This dealer brought Caravaggio
to the attention of Cardinal Francesco del Monte.
Through
the cardinal, Caravaggio was commissioned, at age 24, to paint the
Contradelli Chapel at the church of San Luigi dei Francesi.
The
Cardinal also commissioned Caravaggio to paint pictures for his own personal
pleasure … full of little naked boys. The wings on these little
angels apparently allowed these provocative paintings to be hung in public.
They were 'religious' rather than titillating. Caravaggio's reputation
increased.
In
his evenings, he took to carowsing with friends and gained a reputation
for being dangerous, always carrying a sword. He had many encounters with
the law during his stay in Rome. He was imprisoned for several assaults
and for killing an opponent after a disputed score in a game of court
tennis. Caravaggio fled the city and kept moving between hiding places.
He reached Naples, probably early in 1607, and painted there for a time,
awaiting a pardon by the pope. The dark nature of his paintings at this
time reflected Caravaggio's desperate state of mind.
Caravaggio
went to Malta in 1608 and was received as a well-known artist. His paintings
of this time were among the greatest of his career. He then traveled to
Siciliy and back to Italy. He received a pardon from the pope and wanted
to return to Rome. The boat that was to take him left without him, taking
all his belongings. Misfortune, exhaustion, and illness finally had their
effect as he helplessly watched the boat depart. He collapsed on the beach
and died a few days later. |
