Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), better known simply as Caravaggio, was an Italian artist who painted 38 works between 1593 and 1610. He had an interesting and rebellious life, known at the time for his involvement in multiple brawls, including one when he killed a man and had to flee Rome with a ransom on his head! However, the legacy that followed is due to his influence on the Baroque style through his use of tenebrism and chiaroscuro, the contrast of light “chiaro” and dark “scuro,” and has inspired many artists since, especially those in the Caravaggisti movement such as Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi.
Caravaggio’s works varied from huge history paintings to highly skilled portraits, covering all of the hierarchy of genres. This diversity is shown in paintings such as Boy with a Basket of Fruit (1593), both a portrait and a still life, and The Calling of St Matthew (1600), a biblical scene
The innocence of the Boy with a Basket of Fruit is shown in the pre-pubescence of the boy and his lack of both hostility and sexuality. The fecundity of the fruit is evident as it overflows from the basket, yet the teenager offers himself too, body pushed forward, Caravaggio alluding it to the traditional subject of a woman with fruit demonstrating her fertility (Fruit Seller, Vincenzo Campi.) Boy with a Basket of Fruit was painted at the start of Caravaggio’s career yet undoubtedly shows his talent and his rebellion against traditional painting and subjects.
ARTE E CULTURA
ARTE E CULTURA
Artist’s Spotlight: Caravaggio
Source: Flickr, Steven Zucker