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| The Inspiration of St. Matthew by Caravaggio |
Caravaggio was a hipster. He could not stand the status quo of the Renaissance that preceded him by 50 years, nor could he sympathize with the Mannerists, who were much more recent and vivid in the artistic memory of Rome.
He was a revolutionary, completing the innovation began by Giotto--the artist who gave the first inklings toward a new age in the Renaissance. Giotto was 300 years before Caravaggio. It takes some guts to imagine it, but do you think Caravaggio knew the impact of his work, his completion of the new revolution of art? There is no way to know, but it is certain Caravaggio was willing to break from all that was previously known within the canon of the Renaissance and even Greco-Roman times.
Caravaggio executed this revolution in three ways. First, Caravaggio
broke free from the techniques of fresco used in the Renaissance,
preferring to instead use oil paints. This distinction was popular for
Caravaggio because oil paints allowed him more control over the shades
and also allowed for mistakes to be removed in an easier manner than the
costly methods used to remove fresco errors.
Second, Caravaggio's work is easily recognizable from his contrast between light and dark. Below is the image of The Calling of St. Matthew. This painting depicts Christ (far right) pointing to Matthew (bearded figure) calling him to a life of service under his leadership.
Second, Caravaggio's work is easily recognizable from his contrast between light and dark. Below is the image of The Calling of St. Matthew. This painting depicts Christ (far right) pointing to Matthew (bearded figure) calling him to a life of service under his leadership.
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| The Martyrdom of St. Matthew by Caravaggio |
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| The Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio |
You
can see the dramatic change from a pitch black to a perfect white
within several parts of the painting. This contrast between the light
and the dark, the good and evil, seeks to describe the tension of
Carvaggio's time through the Reformation and Counter Reformation.
Another innovative use of light by Carvaggio is the source of the light,
the place in which the light originates, is not in the painting. It is
located to the right behind the figure of Christ. The light, stemming
from beyond Christ, signals to the one who sent Christ, namely his
Father. This light shines forth across the picture, leading your eye
from right to left until you meet the figure of Matthew who is pointing
to himself as if to ask, "Me? Are you sure you want me?" This light,
originating in the Father and passing through Christ, has found its rest
in the person of Matthew. Human dignity comes from the intrinsic
creation by the Father. The separation between the source of light (the
Father) and the figure of Matthew indicates the humanity of the figures,
but the depiction of Christ on the same level and ground as the other
figures shows the possibility to overcome that humanity and reach the
source of light i.e. the Father.
Third, Caravaggio depicts the figures
in this piece as commoners, even the figure of Christ. This a radical
transformation from the stoic, rigid figures of holy people in the
Middle Age and Early Renaissance periods. On my trip to Florence, I saw
the Ognissanti Madonna by the early Renaissance artist Giotto.
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| Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto |
Now, I have no doubt that this piece of
art is beautiful. The colors, the aesthetics of the different grounds,
the physical beauty of the Madonna: it is balanced and elegant. The
figures may represent humans, however they do not in the slightest
represent everyday human beings, living average lives. Proceeding in
time 300-400 years to Caravaggio, it is evident that he understood that
these figures were not enough to convey the message and story he sought
to tell. To show the people that Christ's message was for all and that
Christ wished to have an encounter with even the poorest of these,
Caravaggio depicted commoners. Through these three revolutionary artistic techniques, I hope I am able to rest my case that Caravaggio was a hipster.
All of these elements intertwine in Caravaggio's Madonna di Loreto or the popular title in English The Virgin Mary of the Pilgrims.
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| Madonna di Loreto by Caravaggio |
The
contrast of light and dark is obvious. It seems as if the Virgin Mary,
holding Jesus, is coming out of the darkness. It is not coincidence that
the Virgin is the brightest figure in the entire piece. She is depicted
differently than the Madonna in Giotto's work. She is given emotion:
compassion, tenderness, as if she is truly invested in the well-being of
the poor pilgrims who have traveled to greet the Child. The innovation
does not end there. Upon closer inspection, you can see that the
pilgrims are dirty, ratchet, and overall obviously not upholding of the
standard of beauty set in the Renaissance. In addition, their feet are
dirty. Dirty people or dirty feet, it didn't matter. If you were in any
way unclean, you were not worthy of entrance into the churches.
Caravaggio had the guts to go against the times. He painted the people
as they were. When asked why he did not join an art studio, which was
typical of the successful artists of the times, Caravaggio replied, "The
street is my school."
More importantly,
Caravaggio brought the Divine off of the pedestal it stood on in the
Renaissance and Middle Age. He brought Christ to all, and especially to
the poor. Furthermore, Caravaggio includes in this depiction of the
Virgin Mary a deliberate jab at the corrupt Catholic hierarchy. The
model who posed for the figure of Virgin was a prostitute. In fact, her
name was Lena and she was the most famous prostitute of the times,
having multiple affairs with several high ranking Cardinals. These
hypocritical prelates lived dual lives, the religious life inside the
church and the secular life outside the church. By depicting the Virgin
Mary in this way, Caravaggio brought the scandal of the Cardinals to the
one place they consider to be safe, inside the Church.
Now,
this is where I state my opinion. Read this knowing that you are
entitled to disagree and I respect that. On this trip, this journey to
Roma, I have seen this hypocrisy that Caravaggio saw in the Cardinals.
Perhaps not in the affairs of high ranking officials, but in the actions
of some of the student's I call peers. I have seen the nature of
privilege here--the privilege that Americans feel they have and are
entitled to possess. I have seen a refusal to adapt or even consider the
Italian culture by some of my peers, to never meet the Italian people
where they are or where they come from. A refusal to appreciate their
food and their art. An appreciation of only things resembling America. I
have heard the phrase "I love money" and "This would never happen in
America" or even "I just wish I had some normal (American) food." I have
seen the self-centered and self-righteous nature of people.
Do you think the Virgin had reservations about receiving the pilgrims in the painting because they were dirty or even unlike herself? It is certain, but this skepticism was overcome out of a duty to be compassionate and understanding. Do you think Matthew had reservations about his call from Christ? Of course, but they were overcome. Caravaggio went beyond these reservations as well. He refused to be constrained by hypocrisy and lies. He wanted truth and truth led him to open his mind to other possibilities. It led him to ugliness and poverty. But, it was always visible because of the light.
Do you think the Virgin had reservations about receiving the pilgrims in the painting because they were dirty or even unlike herself? It is certain, but this skepticism was overcome out of a duty to be compassionate and understanding. Do you think Matthew had reservations about his call from Christ? Of course, but they were overcome. Caravaggio went beyond these reservations as well. He refused to be constrained by hypocrisy and lies. He wanted truth and truth led him to open his mind to other possibilities. It led him to ugliness and poverty. But, it was always visible because of the light.
I
understand that this place is foreign to me. I get that. But, it
benefits no one to sit around and complain about the differences from my
own culture back home. I wish to walk the streets with the mindset of
an Italian. I want to experience life here as Michelangelo would have,
or Caravaggio, or even as a common pilgrim. This city has welcomed me
and held its arms wide open to the millennia of history, art,
architecture and culture. And I have met people who refuse to accept
this gift.
I want an open mind ready to receive the gift of the world. I want to be like the Madonna di Loreto: compassionate even when I do not understand, gentle when I might be moved to anger, and receptive to even the least of these. The Italians have loved me despite my differences. The least I can do is love them back. I walk the streets with Caravaggio. I see everything they taught him: the ugliness of truth, the redemption of light, and the beauty of the common life.
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Read more from Jacob at http://ablogaboutrome.blogspot.it/
For more on the U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/romecampus
I want an open mind ready to receive the gift of the world. I want to be like the Madonna di Loreto: compassionate even when I do not understand, gentle when I might be moved to anger, and receptive to even the least of these. The Italians have loved me despite my differences. The least I can do is love them back. I walk the streets with Caravaggio. I see everything they taught him: the ugliness of truth, the redemption of light, and the beauty of the common life.
--
Read more from Jacob at http://ablogaboutrome.blogspot.it/
For more on the U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/romecampus
