Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio 1571 – 1610

Chalk portrait of Caravaggio by Ottavio Leoni, circa 1621
Chalk portrait of
Caravaggio by Ottavio
Leoni, circa 1621
From The National Gallery, London: Arrogant, rebellious and a murderer, Caravaggio's short and tempestuous life matched the drama of his works. Characterised by their dramatic, almost theatrical lighting, Caravaggio's paintings were controversial, popular, and hugely influential on succeeding generations of painters all over Europe.
Born Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio is the name of the artist's home town in Lombardy in northern Italy. In 1592 at the age of 21 he moved to Rome, Italy's artistic centre and an irresistible magnet for young artists keen to study its classical buildings and famous works of art. The first few years were a struggle. He specialised in still lifes of fruits and flowers, and later, half length figures (as in 'The Boy bitten by a Lizard') which he sold on the street.
In 1595, his luck changed. An eminent Cardinal, Francesco del Monte, recognised the young painter's talent and took Caravaggio into his household. Through the cardinal's circle of acquaintance, Caravaggio received his first public commissions which were so compelling and so innovative that he became a celebrity almost overnight.
Caravaggio's technique was as spontaneous as his temper. He painted straight onto the canvas with minimal preparation. Sometimes he abandoned a disappointing composition and painted new work over the top. Much to the horror of his critics, he used ordinary working people with irregular, rough and characterful faces as models for his saints and showed them in recognisably contemporary surroundings. In many paintings, such as the 'Supper at Emmaus', he makes his paintings appear to be an extension of real space, deliberately making the viewers feel as if they are taking part in the scene.

Caravaggio - Boy Peeling Fruit 1592 Caravaggio - Boy with a Basket of Fruit 1593 Caravaggio - Young Sick Bacchus 1593 Caravaggio - The Fortune Teller 1593-1594 Caravaggio - Cardsharps 1594 Caravaggio - Musicians 1595 Caravaggio - Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy 1595 Follower of Michelangelo Merisi called Caravaggio - A musical group. A concert 1615-1625 Caravaggio - Bacchus 1596
Boy Peeling Fruit 1592 Boy with a Basket of Fruit 1593 Young Sick Bacchus 1593 The Fortune Teller 1593-1594 Cardsharps 1594 Musicians 1595 Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy 1595 A musical group. A concert 1615-1625 Bacchus 1596
Caravaggio - Basket of Fruit 1596 Caravaggio - Boy Bitten by a Lizard 1596 Caravaggio - Boy bitten by a Lizard 1594-1595 Caravaggio - The Lute Player 1596 Caravaggio - The Lute Player 1596 Caravaggio - The Lute Player 1596 Caravaggio - Medusa 1597 Caravaggio - Penitent Magdalene 1597 Caravaggio - Portrait of a Courtesan 1597
Basket of Fruit 1596 Boy Bitten by a Lizard 1596 Boy bitten by a Lizard 1594-1595 The Lute Player 1596 The Lute Player 1596 The Lute Player 1596 Medusa 1597 Penitent Magdalene 1597 Portrait of a Courtesan 1597
Caravaggio - Rest on the Flight into Egypt 1597 Caravaggio - The lute player 1597 Caravaggio - John the Baptist 1598 Caravaggio - Martha and Mary Magdalene 1598 Caravaggio - Portrait of Maffeo Barberini 1598 Caravaggio - Portrait of Pope Urban VIII. Maffeo Barberini 1598 Caravaggio - Sacrifice of Isaac 1598 Caravaggio - Saint Catherine of Alexandria 1598 Caravaggio - Judith Beheading Holofernes 1598-1599
Rest on the Flight into Egypt 1597 The lute player 1597 John the Baptist 1598 Martha and Mary Magdalene 1598 Portrait of Maffeo Barberini 1598 Portrait of Pope Urban VIII. Maffeo Barberini 1598 Sacrifice of Isaac 1598 Saint Catherine of Alexandria 1598 Judith Beheading Holofernes 1598-1599
Caravaggio - David and Goliath 1599 Caravaggio - Narcissus 1599 Caravaggio - The Fortune Teller 1595 Caravaggio - Calling of Saint Matthew 1600 Caravaggio - Conversion of Saint Paul 1600 Caravaggio - Martyrdom of Saint Matthew 1600 Caravaggio - Saint John the Baptist 1600 Caravaggio - Conversion on the Way to Damascus 1600-1601 Caravaggio - Bacchus 1600-1610
David and Goliath 1600 Narcissus 1599 The Fortune Teller 1595 Calling of Saint Matthew 1600 Conversion of Saint Paul 1600 Martyrdom of Saint Matthew 1600 Saint John the Baptist 1600 Conversion on the Way to Damascus 1600-1601 Bacchus 1600-1610
Caravaggio - Crucifixion of Saint Peter 1601 Caravaggio - Still Life with Flowers and Fruit 1601 Caravaggio - The Death of the Virgin 1601-1603 Caravaggio - Still Life with Fruit on a Stone Ledge 1605-1610 Caravaggio - Amor Victorious 1602 Caravaggio - Incredulity of Saint Thomas 1602 Caravaggio - Inspiration of Saint Matthew 1602 Caravaggio - John the Baptist 1602 Caravaggio - Sacrifice of Isaac 1602
Crucifixion of Saint Peter 1601 Still Life with Flowers and Fruit 1601 The Death of the Virgin 1601-1603 Still Life with Fruit on a Stone Ledge 1605-1610 Amor Victorious 1602 Incredulity of Saint Thomas 1602 Inspiration of Saint Matthew 1602 John the Baptist 1602 Sacrifice of Isaac 1602
Caravaggio - Saint Matthew and the Angel 1602 Caravaggio - Supper at Emmaus 1602 Caravaggio - Taking of Christ 1602 Caravaggio - The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew 1602-1604 Caravaggio - The Crowning with Thorns 1602-1604 Caravaggio - Crowning with Thorns 1603 Caravaggio - Entombment 1603 Caravaggio - Holy Family with St. John the Baptist 1603 Caravaggio - John the Baptist 1604
Saint Matthew and the Angel 1602 Supper at Emmaus 1602 Taking of Christ 1602 The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew 1602-1604 The Crowning with Thorns 1602-1604 Crowning with Thorns 1603 Entombment 1603 Holy Family with St. John the Baptist 1603 John the Baptist 1604
Caravaggio - Madonna of Loreto 1604 Caravaggio - Christ on the Mount of Olives 1605 Caravaggio - David with the Head of Goliath 1605 Caravaggio - Ecce Homo 1605 Caravaggio - Saint Jerome Writing 1605 Caravaggio - Saint Francis in Meditation 1606 Caravaggio - Saint Jerome in Meditation 1606 Caravaggio - Supper at Emmaus 1606 Caravaggio - Madonna and Child with St. Anne 1606
Madonna of Loreto 1604 Christ on the Mount of Olives 1605 David with the Head of Goliath 1605 Ecce Homo 1605 Saint Jerome Writing 1605 Saint Francis in Meditation 1606 Saint Jerome in Meditation 1606 Supper at Emmaus 1606 Madonna and Child with St. Anne 1606
Caravaggio - Christ at the Column 1607 Caravaggio - Crucifixion of Saint Andrew 1607 Caravaggio - Flagellation of Christ 1607 Caravaggio - Madonna of the Rosary. Madonna del Rosario 1607 Caravaggio - Saint Jerome Writing 1607 Caravaggio - Salome with the Head of John the Baptist 1607 Caravaggio - The Seven Works of Mercy 1607 Caravaggio - Annunciation 1608 Caravaggio - Beheading of Saint John the Baptist 1608
Christ at the Column 1607 Crucifixion of Saint Andrew 1607 Flagellation of Christ 1607 Madonna of the Rosary. Madonna del Rosario 1607 Saint Jerome Writing 1607 Salome with the Head of John the Baptist 1607 The Seven Works of Mercy 1607 Annunciation 1608 Beheading of Saint John the Baptist 1608
Caravaggio - Burial of Saint Lucy 1608 Caravaggio - John the Baptist 1608 Caravaggio - Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page 1608 Caravaggio - Portrait of Fra Antionio Martelli 1608 Caravaggio - Sleeping Cupid 1608 Caravaggio - Resurrection of Lazarus 1608-1609 Caravaggio - Adoration of the Shepherds 1609 Caravaggio - Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence 1609 Caravaggio - Salome with the Head of John the Baptist 1609
Burial of Saint Lucy 1608 John the Baptist 1608 Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page 1608 Portrait of Fra Antionio Martelli 1608 Sleeping Cupid 1608 Resurrection of Lazarus 1608-1609 Adoration of the Shepherds 1609 Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence 1609 Salome with the Head of John the Baptist 1609
Caravaggio - Tooth Puller 1609 Caravaggio - David with the Head of Goliath 1610 Caravaggio - Denial of Saint Pete 1610 Caravaggio - John the Baptist. Reclining Baptist 1610 Caravaggio - John the Baptist 1610 Caravaggio - Martyrdom of Saint Ursula 1610 Caravaggio - Saint Francis in Prayer 1610 Caravaggio - Still Life with Flowers and Fruits 1600-1610 Caravaggio - Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto 1596
Tooth Puller 1609 David with the Head of Goliath 1610 Denial of Saint Pete 1610 John the Baptist. Reclining Baptist 1610 John the Baptist 1610 Martyrdom of Saint Ursula 1610 Saint Francis in Prayer 1610 Still Life with Flowers and Fruits 1600-1610 Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto 1596