Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, often referred to simply as Caravaggio, was an Italian Baroque painter whose revolutionary style and a relentless pursuit of his craft redefined the boundaries of painting.

Born in Milan in 1571, Caravaggio's tumultuous life was marked by artistic brilliance on the one hand and street brawls, swordfighting and clashes with the law on the other, which eventually led to him leading a life on the run with a price on his head for murder. 

Caravaggio's early life was characterized by tragedy and instability. In an early biography of the life of Caravaggio, his father, Fermo Merisi, was thought to be an architect and administrator for the Marchese of Caravaggio. However, historical documents suggest he was a stonemason rather than an architect.  Nonetheless, Michelangelo would later adopt Caravaggio as his artistic name. At the age of six, Caravaggio lost his father and grandfather to the bubonic plague, leaving his mother to raise five children in financial hardship. Caravaggio took to roaming the streets, brawling and teaching himself to use a sword, eventually becoming a master dualist. Caravaggio's artistic talent was also evident from a young age, and he was apprenticed to the Lombard painter Simone Peterzano in Milan at the age of 12.

In a turn of events that would become a pattern in his life, Caravaggio was forced to flee Milan for Rome at the age of 21 when after a street brawl a policeman was badly injured. Though records are sketchy it is suggested the policeman's injuries may have been fatal, though it is uncertain whether Caravaggio was directly to blame.

Rome was the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance and a thriving hub of artistic activity. It offered Caravaggio exposure to a diverse array of artistic styles, including the classical works of Raphael and Michelangelo, and it was during this time that Caravaggio developed his signature style, characterized by a dramatic use of chiaroscuro, or the contrast between light and dark, and a focus on naturalism and emotional intensity.

His early years in Rome were marked by poverty and struggle. He lived a bohemian lifestyle, often finding himself in trouble with the law for brawling and disorderly conduct. Despite his personal demons, Caravaggio's talent soon caught the attention of wealthy patrons, including Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, who became his lifelong supporter and protector.

It was through del Monte's patronage that Caravaggio received his first major commissions, including his breakthrough work, "The Cardsharps" (1594), which showcased his mastery of perspective and psychological realism. Caravaggio's rise to prominence was meteoric, and he soon found himself at the center of Rome's artistic elite, attracting a cadre of followers eager to emulate his revolutionary style.  But his artistic success was accompanied by personal turmoil. His volatile temperament and penchant for violence often landed him in trouble with the law, and he was frequently involved in street fights and altercations. 

In 1606, Caravaggio was considered the most famous painter in Rome, never without highly sought after commissions from the church and wealthy patrons. But he seemed to be a magnet for trouble, and after years of clashes with a wealthy and powerful underworld figure Rannucio Tomassoni, Caravaggio's life took a dramatic turn when he was involved in a duel that resulted in the death of Tomassoni. Fearing retribution, Caravaggio fled Rome and was sentenced for murder in absentia. He spent the remainder of his life on the run, now with a price on his head.

He first fled to the protection of the powerful Sforza/Colonna family with whom Caravaggio’s family had connections. He stayed for a time in Naples, outside the Papal jurisdiction of Rome. He hatched a plan to become a Knight of Malta, whereby if accepted he would receive a pardon for all crimes. In Malta he continued to paint masterpieces and the Grand Master of the order, Aloof de Wignacourt petitioned the Pope to have Caravaggio admitted into the order. Permission was granted, however after getting involved in a dispute with one of the knight's elders, he was imprisoned, before escaping to Sicily without his pardon.

Now on the run from both Rome and the Knights of Malta, remarkabley Caravaggio continued to produce masterful works of art. Paintings, such as "The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist" (Completed for the Knights before fleeing in 1608) and "The Denial of Saint Peter" (1610), exhibit a profound spiritual intensity and emotional depth that reflect the artist's own inner turmoil.

Caravaggio eventually made his way back to Naples once more under the protection of the Sforza/Collona’s, though while there, he was attacked and severely injured, most probably by four of Wignacourt’s men. While recovering from his injuries he once again began petitioning for a pardon, both from Rome and Wignacourt. He sent paintings to Wignacourt, and Scipione Borghese, the Pope’s nephew and the man in charge of Papal justice. Scipione was a fan of caravaggio, and after receiving some encouraging signs, Caravaggio decided to make a trip to rome, with a bundle of paintings as a peace offering for Borghese, in the hope of gaining his pardon.

Unfortunately Caravaggio's life was cut short at the age of 38 when he died under mysterious circumstances in Porto Ercole, a small town on the Tuscan coast while in transit to Rome. The exact circumstances of his death remain shrouded in mystery, with theories ranging from murder to malaria. Regardless of the cause, Caravaggio's untimely demise marked the premature end of a career that had revolutionized the art world and forever altered the course of Western painting.

Caravaggio's legacy endures to this day, his influence evident in the works of countless artists who have been inspired by his innovative use of light and shadow, his uncompromising realism, and his unflinching exploration of the human condition. Caravaggio's impact on the art world is immeasurable, cementing his place as one of the greatest painters of all time.

In episode 5 of series 2, Kennardley interviews Caravaggio about his life as a master painter and fugitive from the law.

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