Caravaggio : the artist and his work /
Ebert-Schifferer, S.
"The young Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) created a major stir in late-sixteenth-century Rome with the groundbreaking naturalism and highly charged emotionalism of his paintings. One might think, given the vast number of books that have been written about him, that everything that could possibly be said about the artist has been said. However, the author of this book argues, it is important to take a fresh look at the often repeated and widely accepted narratives about the artist's life and work. Sybille Ebert-Schifferer subjects the available sources to a critical reevaluation, uncovering evidence that the efforts of Caravaggio's contemporaries to disparage his character and his artwork often sprang from their own cultural biases or a desire to promote the artistic achievements of his rivals. Contrary to repeated claims in the literature, the painter lacked neither education nor piety, but was an extremely accomplished technician who developed a successful marketing strategy. He enjoyed great respect and earned high fees from his prestigious clients while he also inspired a large circle of imitators. Even his brushes with the law conformed to the behavioral norms of the aristocratic Romans he sought to emulate. The beautiful reproductions of Caravaggio's paintings in this volume make clear why he captivated the imagination of his contemporaries, a reaction that echoes today in the ongoing popularity of his work and the fierce debate that it continues to provoke among art historians."--
"The book examines Caravaggio's paintings within the context of 16th century Italian mores. It shows that his unparalleled intermingling of the profane and the sacred was meant to stimulate emotion, amaze the cognoscenti, and lead people to faith"--
Translation of: Caravaggio / Sybille Ebert-Schifferer. -- München : C.H. Beck, c2009. -- 319 pages ; 32 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-314) and index.
From painting angel to the corruptor of painting : the birth of a dark legend -- Milan and Caravaggio : childhood and youth -- Education in Milan -- The road to Rome -- The first years in Rome -- Initial independence and early friendships -- In the household of Cardinal del Monte -- A star among Roman painters -- Artist rivalries and the libel suit of 1603 -- Turbulent times, stirring devotional paintings -- On the Colonna estates -- New fame in Naples -- Malta and the knighthood -- Flight to Sicily -- Return and death -- Innovation and self-stylization -- The making of the paintings : the trade secret -- Artificial and natural, sacred and profane -- Amazement and wonder -- Emotion and sensuality.
"The young Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) created a major stir in late-sixteenth-century Rome with the groundbreaking naturalism and highly charged emotionalism of his paintings. One might think, given the vast number of books that have been written about him, that everything that could possibly be said about the artist has been said. However, the author of this book argues, it is important to take a fresh look at the often repeated and widely accepted narratives about the artist's life and work. Sybille Ebert-Schifferer subjects the available sources to a critical reevaluation, uncovering evidence that the efforts of Caravaggio's contemporaries to disparage his character and his artwork often sprang from their own cultural biases or a desire to promote the artistic achievements of his rivals. Contrary to repeated claims in the literature, the painter lacked neither education nor piety, but was an extremely accomplished technician who developed a successful marketing strategy. He enjoyed great respect and earned high fees from his prestigious clients while he also inspired a large circle of imitators. Even his brushes with the law conformed to the behavioral norms of the aristocratic Romans he sought to emulate. The beautiful reproductions of Caravaggio's paintings in this volume make clear why he captivated the imagination of his contemporaries, a reaction that echoes today in the ongoing popularity of his work and the fierce debate that it continues to provoke among art historians."--
"The book examines Caravaggio's paintings within the context of 16th century Italian mores. It shows that his unparalleled intermingling of the profane and the sacred was meant to stimulate emotion, amaze the cognoscenti, and lead people to faith"--
Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da, 1573-1610