Welcome to another episode of the Creative Flair Podcast
Today we're going to be exploring the life and work of Caravaggio. I had a fantastic opportunity this morning to do a small presentation for the last Caravaggio
exhibition that's going on at the National Gallery in London and I decided that doing
a small episode about Caravaggio's life would be a really interesting thing to do
So today we delve into the life of Michelangelo Merci de Caravaggio, an artist whose work
not only revolutionised the Baroque era, but also brought a new level of emotional truth
to painting. Caravaggio arguably has one of the most interesting artistic stories of any artist from this period
His work is revolutionary and his story is very interesting indeed. Not only was his work rebellious, but Caravaggio was a rebellious human himself
We'll get into all of that a little bit later. Caravaggio's story begins in Milan in 1571
In a world ravaged by plague and political strife, his family was hit hard by the plague
losing almost every member by the time he was just 11 years old
These early experiences with death and survival left a permanent mark on a young Caravaggio
and would later deeply influence his art. As a teenager, Caravaggio apprenticed under Simone Pietazzano, who himself had studied
under Titian, one of the greatest painters of the Venetian school. Though his early works remain largely unknown, his training would have provided him with
the foundational skills he later relied on to produce his dramatic scenes
By the 1590s, Caravaggio made his way to Rome, the heart of the artistic renaissance
Rome, however, was not just a city of art, but also of stark contrasts, opulence and poverty
It was the perfect backdrop for a young artist eager to make his mark
Caravaggio's early years in Rome were tough. He struggled with poverty, taking any work he could find, which often included painting
decorative scenes for wealthier artists' workshops. His fortunes began to change when he started creating works for Cardinal Francesco Maria
del Monte, a keen art patron. The Cardinal's support was pivotal, providing Caravaggio with both financial stability and
access to influential circles. It was during this period that Caravaggio developed his signature style, rejecting the
idolised interpretations of religious and mythological subjects that dominated the era. He opted instead for realism and dramatic lighting
His models were people he encountered in the streets of Rome, merchants, beggars and prostitutes
This approach not only humanised biblical and classical figures, but also injected a
raw, almost visceral power into his paintings. Take for example his painting, The Calling of St. Matthew
Instead of a grandiose heavenly scene, Caravaggio presents a very ordinary moment in a dimly
lit tavern. Christ's hand reaches out, barely noticeable in the shadowy room, to call Matthew
It's this blending of the divine and the mundane, lit by a stark beam of light from an unseen
source that exemplifies Caravaggio's groundbreaking approach. But Caravaggio's life was anything but mundane
Known for his fiery temper and penchant for brawling, he often found himself in trouble
with the law. His most notorious altercation occurred in 1606, resulting in the death of a young man
during a violent street fight, a crime for which Caravaggio was condemned to death
This marked the beginning of his life on the run, a fugitive from justice
Despite being a fugitive, Caravaggio continued to work, and his art never really suffered
He travelled to Naples, Malta and Sicily, each time establishing himself anew, still
securing commissions and producing some of his most profound works. His paintings from this period, like The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, are marked as an
even greater intensity, reflecting perhaps his own turmoil and awareness of mortality
As we approach the final years and chapter of Caravaggio's story, we find an artist
whose life had become as dramatic as the scenes he painted. After fleeing Rome as a wanted man, Caravaggio's life entered a period marked by fleeting stays
and continued artistic production, under the shadow of his past crimes. In 1607 Caravaggio arrived in Naples, a city vibrant with artistic potential and less significant
law enforcement than Rome. Here he was welcomed by the Colonna family, part of his extended network of patrons, who
provided him some protection. In Naples, Caravaggio painted some of his most poignant works, including The Flagellation
of Christ, a piece that is visceral in its depiction of pain and suffering
The stark lighting intensifies the drama, highlighting Christ's physical torment and the twisted expressions of his tormentors
Caravaggio's reputation, both his genius and his notoriety, preceded him and in 1608
despite his precarious status of fugitive, he was made a Knight of Malta, a prestigious
position that offered him such further protection. It was during his time in Malta that he completed The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, his
largest and perhaps most moving work. This painting, unique to his au revoir for containing his signature within the blood
flowing from John's neck, is a stark, powerful image, full of darkness and foreboding, reflecting
perhaps his own state of mind. However, Caravaggio's violent temper did not subside
Within a year he was imprisoned in Malta after another altercation. He made a daring escape to Sicily, however
Over the next year he moved three times, each time creating magnificent works like The Burial
of St. Lucie and The Raising of Lazarus. These paintings continue to show his hallmark use of light and shadow, a technique known
as chiaroscuro, something that he was most pivotally famous for. But there's a plaurible sense of urgency and raw energy to all of these works, a possible
reflection of his desperate circumstances. In 1610, perhaps sensing the end was near, Caravaggio took a boat north with the hope
of receiving a palau pardon from his powerful Roman connections. It's during this journey back to Rome that the final mystery of Caravaggio's life unfolds
He disembarked at Porto Ecole, a small town on the coast of Tuscany
And here, in the summer of 1610, Caravaggio died under mysterious circumstances at the
age of only 38. Some say he died of a fever, others suggest he was assassinated by enemies he made along
his journey. What's undeniably tragic is that Caravaggio died not knowing that his pardon had indeed
been granted. His body was never recovered and he was buried in an unmarked grave
His death as enigmatic as his life, yet in his final words we see an artist who, despite
or perhaps because of his personal demons, was able to portray human vulnerability and
divine beauty with unparalleled intensity. The last years of Caravaggio's life were a testament to his enduring artistic spirit
his relentless pursuit of emotional truth in his work, and his profound impact on the
art world. His legacy is one of brilliance and darkness, a mirror to his own life, reminding us that
from great turmoil can come transcendent beauty. Thank you for joining me as we explored the life of Caravaggio, something a little bit
different that I've been experimenting around a little bit more with. I try not to make these episodes too long, but if you would like a more in-depth episode
about the full feature length of Caravaggio's life, please don't hesitate to let me know
Also please feel free to send me a message via Instagram at creativeflare underscore
org, and I'd be happy to answer any questions or let me know if you wanted a longer podcast
episode about Caravaggio or any other artists that you'd like me to explore
Or I can just stick with these sort of smaller length episodes
Thank you all very much for joining me on this little journey and I hope to see you again next time