November 20
Boy Bitten by a LizardMichelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Caravaggio)c. 1586-1600Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, ItalyOne of Caravaggio’s biographers wrote that “he also painted a boy bitten by a lizard emerging from flowers and fruits; you could almost hear the boy scream, and it was done meticulously.” The picture has suggested various interpretations. As an allegory of touch, it provides the basis for a study of how emotion is expressed physically, and arguably Caravaggio alludes to all the five senses (flowers as smell and so on). With the still life of fruits and roses, common emblems of love, he invokes age-old adages—pain can follow pleasure, and love is a rose with thorns that prick. Poets from Petrarch onward played on the similarity of the Italian words for “love” and “bitter”—amore and amaro—to which Caravaggio adds ramarro (lizard), ingeniously enlarging the joke.

Boy Bitten by a Lizard
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Caravaggio)
c. 1586-1600
Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy

One of Caravaggio’s biographers wrote that “he also painted a boy bitten by a lizard emerging from flowers and fruits; you could almost hear the boy scream, and it was done meticulously.” The picture has suggested various interpretations. As an allegory of touch, it provides the basis for a study of how emotion is expressed physically, and arguably Caravaggio alludes to all the five senses (flowers as smell and so on). With the still life of fruits and roses, common emblems of love, he invokes age-old adages—pain can follow pleasure, and love is a rose with thorns that prick. Poets from Petrarch onward played on the similarity of the Italian words for “love” and “bitter”—amore and amaro—to which Caravaggio adds ramarro (lizard), ingeniously enlarging the joke.

 50  This post is tagged with: 16th century  art  art history  caravaggio  irg  italian  painting  oil painting  
June 21
The Incredulity of Saint ThomasMichelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio 1601-1602Neues Palais in Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany “A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” — John 20:26-28 “Caravaggio offers us a profound theology of innocence through the Beauty of his art. Known for his gritty realism, Caravaggio has Jesus grasping the hand of the apostle Thomas and thrusting it deep within the wound at his side, powerfully aligning Jesus’ and St. Thomas” hands to form a lance. St. Thomas” face expresses profound surprise as his finger thrusts deep into Jesus’ wound. Perhaps, the surprise has to do with his unbelief. It could also be surprise at the realization that he, too, is also pierced. Indeed, St. Thomas appears to clutch his side as if he becomes aware of a wound at his side as well. And we who wince at this gritty depiction feel a wound at our side as well.” (Aponte, 104) (Text from the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt University website)

The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
1601-1602
Neues Palais in Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany

“A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” — John 20:26-28

“Caravaggio offers us a profound theology of innocence through the Beauty of his art. Known for his gritty realism, Caravaggio has Jesus grasping the hand of the apostle Thomas and thrusting it deep within the wound at his side, powerfully aligning Jesus’ and St. Thomas” hands to form a lance. St. Thomas” face expresses profound surprise as his finger thrusts deep into Jesus’ wound. Perhaps, the surprise has to do with his unbelief. It could also be surprise at the realization that he, too, is also pierced. Indeed, St. Thomas appears to clutch his side as if he becomes aware of a wound at his side as well. And we who wince at this gritty depiction feel a wound at our side as well.” (Aponte, 104)

(Text from the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt University website)

 59  This post is tagged with: 17th century  caravaggio  irg  oil  painting  religious  art  art history  
October 7

Judith Beheading Holofernes
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
c. 1598-1599
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome, Italy

Judith Slaying Holofernes
Artemisia Gentileschi
c. 1611–12 
Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

These paintings depict the story of Judith, a Jewish widow. Holofernes, an Assyrian general, was about to take arms against Judith’s home city of Bethulia, but was overcome by lust for Judith. After sneaking into his tent at night and getting him inebriated, Judith and her maid decapitate Holofernes. They then take is head and present it to his troops, who then flee in terror, thereby saving Bethulia.

How many of you had to compare these two paintings for an Art History class? Why is this story such a popular subject for artists, especially in the early Renaissance?

Check out these other Judithes by Galizia, Giorgione, Botticelli, Mantegna, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Klimt.

 77  This post is tagged with: 17th century  IRG  caravaggio  gentileschi  painting  art  art history  
August 19
alecshao: Caravaggio, “Narcissus” 1597-1599oil on canvas

alecshao:

Caravaggio, “Narcissus”

1597-1599
oil on canvas

(Source: likeafieldmouse)

 83  This post is tagged with: caravaggio  16th century  art history  
August 14
The Denial of St. PeterCaravaggio1571-1610oil on canvas The picture, a marvel of narrative as well as pictorial concision, was painted by Caravaggio in the last months of his tempestuous life and marks an extreme stage in his revolutionary style. In it he eschews delicacy and beauty of color and, with extraordinary psychological penetration, concentrates exclusively on the human drama. Source

The Denial of St. Peter
Caravaggio
1571-1610
oil on canvas

The picture, a marvel of narrative as well as pictorial concision, was painted by Caravaggio in the last months of his tempestuous life and marks an extreme stage in his revolutionary style. In it he eschews delicacy and beauty of color and, with extraordinary psychological penetration, concentrates exclusively on the human drama.

Source
 35  This post is tagged with: caravaggio  17th century  painting  oil