This exhibition in Rome and its corresponding catalog distinguishes itself through exceptional loans that reunite and resituate the landmark paintings of Caravaggio’s career. Saint Catherine from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and Martha and Mary Magdalene from the Detroit Institute of Arts join the Palazzo Barberini Judith, showcasing Caravaggio’s use of the same model on three separate occasions; The Cardsharps from the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth returns to the place it was long on display; Saint John the Baptist from the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City and Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy in Hartford appear together for the first time. These magnificent and unprecedented selections offer insight not only into Caravaggio’s evolution as an artist but also his immediate networks and surroundings.
Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio (1571-1610), was born in Milan. His early commissions included works for Cardinal Francesca Maria del Monte and the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi. From 1600 to 1606 he was considered the most famous painter in Rome. After killing a wealthy young man he fled the city, still painting but on the run as a criminal. He died under mysterious circumstances in 1610. Buona lettura!