Caravaggio, or Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio to give him his full name, was an Italian painter of the early 17th century whose realistic and violent paintings shocked the elite and royals of his day. His work was so radical that some even suspected him of murder!
His unique approach to painting profoundly changed the art world, from how artists learned their craft to how patrons perceived it. More than 300 years after his death, Caravaggio remains one of the most influential painters in history. Read on to learn more about this fascinating artist who painted realism and lived it.
About Michelangelo Merisi Da Caravaggio
There is a lot of facts you can learn about Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and his world-renowned masterpieces. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, the Italian painter, came to fame in Rome when baroque art was all the rage. It was said he used his art to shock people and keep them coming back for more.
His style has been described as disturbing by some, but there is no denying it made him famous. He’s best known for painting religious figures like Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Saint John The Baptist and painted portraits of important figures such as Cardinal Del Monte.
His art wasn’t appreciated during his lifetime because he liked to create art in an unorthodox style. One of his most famous works is Judith Beheading Holofernes, and it depicts a woman beheading a man while he’s in bed. Let’s look at some of Caravaggio’s famous paintings that shocked the world.
Judith Beheading Holofernes
In 1600, Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio shocked viewers with his painting Judith Beheading Holofernes. The artist paints an incredibly realistic scene: Judith, wearing a bright red dress, appears to be holding a real sword as she slices off her victim’s head. However, her face isn’t of shock or horror but rather cold-blooded determination—making it even more unsettling than usual.
The story comes from an Old Testament tale: Holofernes, a general in charge of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, laid siege to Judith’s city. The proud general had decided to give his soldiers a night off; they would celebrate with one final feast before the victory. It was then that Judith arrived at Holofernes’ tent and asked for him to come out and talk with her.
The general didn’t suspect a thing. He brought Judith inside and quickly fell into a drunken stupor. This was when Judith took advantage of his condition and beheaded him. Then she went back to her city, bringing Holofernes’ head with her, and convinced everyone to leave before Nebuchadnezzar’s army returned. As a result, the enemy never knew what had happened, sparing them from invasion.
The resulting painting is, without a doubt, one of painter Caravaggio’s most famous. A full-length version hangs in The Louvre, while a shorter version hangs in The Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich.
Boy Bitten by a Lizard
This famous painting by famed painter Caravaggio is said to have been based on a true story. There was a legend that you would die from poison in ancient Greece if you got bitten by a lizard (or any poisonous animal). So when Giuseppe Valerio was bitten by one while picking mushrooms in his garden, he claimed he saw such a lizard in his son and went straight for a sword to behead him.
Valerio came to his senses in a panic and stopped before it was too late. The boy lived but had been severely traumatized by his father’s attempts on his life. He never spoke again and died at age 27, on October 10, 1622. Caravaggio painted Boy Bitten by a Lizard as an act of repentance for what he did not do: kill his son.
He painted it for Valerio, who had become a priest after his wife died. In his later years, Valerio was sick and needy. He made several pilgrimages to Rome but was always refused entry because he could not show proof of his nobility. This rejection caused him much grief, and many think it contributed to his death in 1624 at age 69.
Caravaggio – Boy Bitten by a Lizard c.1592-93
Medusa
The most famous painting by Caravaggio, and perhaps one of his most famous works, is Medusa, depicting a moment in Greek mythology when Medusa was turned into a hideous monster with snakes for hair and petrifying power. It is his most famous piece and historically significant to paint such a shocking image.
It drew attention to Caravaggio, but he also had to paint it using his face as a model. Naturally, no one wanted to do it, so Caravaggio volunteered and spent a lot of time researching and studying to produce such a compelling piece of art.
Caravaggio was not a painter who shied away from controversy or shock value. He knew what he was doing when painting Medusa, so it turned out to be such a masterpiece. His art was rooted in realism, and he loved to get a reaction out of people. He was constantly looking for new and different ways to challenge himself as an artist, and his work turned out to be some of his best.
David with the Head of Goliath
If you’re familiar with art history, it’s impossible to forget David with Goliath’s Head. The 1607 masterpiece depicts David holding his victim’s head like a basketball after defeating him in battle. What makes David so shocking is how naturalistic it looks: Most Renaissance and Baroque paintings depicted historical figures as larger-than-life and glorified; instead, Caravaggio painted every pore on David’s skin (and even added a fly resting on his arm).
It was an anti-glorification statement. In Renaissance and Baroque art, painters depicted historical figures as larger than life and glorified their actions. However, Instead of showing David as a hero, he shows him as a person—just like you or me.
The gruesome realism was not typical of traditional religious paintings. While many praised his striking use of lighting, others were offended by his paintings’ subject matter. However, whether you’re a fan, there’s no denying that these paintings captured Caravaggio’s genius.
Conclusion
Caravaggio was a talented painter and is one of the most famous artists. The Catholic Church found his paintings shocking, but their influence on future generations was undeniable. Caravaggio lived during an exciting period when religious art was changing. Check out Caravaggio’s complete works!
