Art, literature & historyBacchus
Caravaggio · 1598 c.
Caravaggio: 1571–1610
Other names (201)
A. Caravaggio, Amerighi Caravaggio, Amerighi Michelangelo da Caravaggio, Averigi of Carravaggio, Carabacho, Carage, Caravacci, Caravaccio, Caravach, Caravacho, Caravacio, Caravaggi, Caravaggica, Caravaggio Amerighi, Caravaggio Michelangelo, Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggo, Caravagi, Caravagio, Caravagio Michael Angelo Amerigi, Caravege, Carragio, Carraiagio, Carrauagio, Carravage, Carravaggio, Carravaggio Michel Angelo Amerighi, Carravagi, Carravagio, Carravagio Michel Ange, Carravago, Carvache, Carvaggio, Corravagio, Curabicho, Curablicho, Garavaggi, Le Caravache, le Caravage, Le Caravage Michelangiolo Amerighi, le Carravage, le Carravage Michel-Ange, M.A. Caravage, M.A. Caravaggio, M.A. Caravagio, M. A. Carravag., M. A. Carravaggio, M. A. Carravagio, M.A. Carraveggio, M. A. da Caravaggio, M.A. da Carravaggio, M.A. da Carravagio, M. A. de Caravage, M.A. de Caravaggio, M. Ange Caravagio, M. Ange de Caravage, M. Angelo, M Angelo Caravaggio, M. Angelo Caravagio, M. Angelo Carravaggio, M. Angelo Carravagio, M. Angelo da Caravaggio, M. Angelo da Caravagio, M. Angelo da Carravaggio, M. Angelo da Carravagio, M. Angelo da Carrawaggio, M. Angelo de Caravaggio, M. Angelo di Caravaggio, M. Caravagio, M. Carravagio, M. D. Carravaggio, M. de Caravaggi, M. de Carravage, Micael Angel Caraballo, Mic. Angel Carravaggio, Mic. Angelo Carravaggio, MicchelAngelo da Caravaggio, MicelAngelo da Caravaggio, Michael Ange de Carravage, Michael Angel Caravacho, Michael Angelo Amerigi da Caravaggio, Michael Angelo Amerigi dit le Caravach, MichaelAngelo Carabucho, michael Angelo Caravacho, Michael Angelo Caravaggio, Michael Angelo Caravagio, Michael Angelo Caravasi, Michael Angelo Carraggio, Michael Angelo Carravaggio, Michael Angelo Carravagio, Michael Angelo da Caravaggio, MichaelAngelo da Caravaggio, Michael Angelo da Caravagio, Michael Angelo da Carravaggio, Michaël Angelo da Carravagio, Michael Angelo da Carvaggio, Michael Angelo de Carravaggio, Michael Angelo de Carravagio, Michael Angelo de Carvagio, Michael Angelo Merigi, detto da Carravaggio, Michael Angelo Merigi, detto da, Milan Carravaggio, Michael Angelo Merigi genannt Carravagio, Michael Angelo of Caravagio, Mich. Ang. Caravaggio, Mich. Ang. Carravagio, Mich. Ang. da Caravaggio, Mich. Ang. da Caravagio, Mich. Angelo Caravaggio, Mich. Angelo Caravagio, Mich. Angelo de Carravagio, Mich. Angelo Merici da Carravagio, Michel Agnolo da Caravaggio, Michelag.o da Caravaggio, Michel Amerigi Angelo da Caravaggio, Michelan Garavagna, Michel AngeAmerigi de Caravage, Michel-Ange Amerigi de Caravage, Michel Ange Caravage, Michel Ange Carravage, Michelange de Caravage, Michel-Ange de Caravage, Michelange de Carravage, Michel-Ange de Carravage, Michel-Ange des Batailles Le Caravage, Michel Ange dit le Caravage, Michel Ange du Caravage, Michelangelo Americhi Caravaggio, Michelangelo americhi Carravaggio, Michelangelo Amerighi, Michelangelo Amerighi Caravaggio, Michelangelo Amerighi da Caravaggio, Michelangelo Amerigi, Michelangelo Amerigi da Caravaggio, Michel Angelo Caravaccio, Michelangelo Caravaggi, Michel'Angelo Caravaggi, Michel Angelo Caravaggio, Michelangelo Caravagli, Michelangelo Caraveggio, Michelangelo Carravaggio, Michel Angelo Carravaggio, Michel Angelo Carvasio, Michelangelo da Caravaccio, Michel'Angelo dà Caravaggio, Michelangelo da Caravagio, Michel Angelo da Caravagio, Michel Angelo da Caravaglio, Michel Angelo da Caravancio, Michel Angelo da Caravazzi, Michel Angelo da Carvaggio, Michel Angelo de Caravachio, Michel Angelo de Caravagio, Michel Angelo de Caravasio, Michel Angelo de la Caravagio, Michelangelo di Caravaggio, Michel Angelo di Caravaggio, Michel Angelo di Roma, Michel Angelo Dj Caravaggi, Michelangelo Garavaggi, Michelangelo Merigi da Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaccio, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravach, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggi, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravagio, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravege, Michelangelo Merisi da Carravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da Carravagio, Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi gen. Caravaggio, Michel Angelo merisi gen. Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisio, Michelangelo Merisio da Caravaggio, Michelangelo Morigi da Caravaggio, Michelange Merisi, Michel Ange Merisi de Caravage, Michel Ange Merisi de Carravage, Michel Angiello da Caravaggio, Michelangiolo da Caravaggio, Michel Angiolo de Caravaggio, Michelangiolo di Caravaggio, Michel Ang.o Caravacci, Michel Ang.o Caravaggio, Michelang.o da Caravaggio, Michelang.o del Caravaccio, Michel Caravaggi, Michel Caravaggio, Michel de Caravage, Michele-Angelo Amerigi da Caravagio, Michele-Angelo Amerigida Carvagio, Michele Angelo da Caravaggio, MicheleAngelo da Caravaggio, Michele Angelo di Caravaggio, Michiel Angelo Caravagio, Michiel Angelo Caroche, Michielangelo da Caravaggio, Michiel Angelo de Caravagio, Michiel Angelo di Caravajo, Miguel-Ange de Carravage, Mikelʹandzhelo da Karavadzho, Mikelʹandzhelo Merizi
Biography
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for a significant portion of his artistic life. He began his apprenticeship in Milan in 1584, and during the final four years of his life, he moved between Naples, Malta, and Sicily. His paintings have been characterized by art critics as combining a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, which had a formative influence on Baroque painting.
Caravaggio employed close physical observation with a dramatic use of chiaroscuro that came to be known as tenebrism. He made the technique a dominant stylistic element, transfixing subjects in bright shafts of light and darkening shadows. Caravaggio vividly expressed crucial moments and scenes, often featuring violent struggles, torture, and death. He worked rapidly with live models, preferring to forgo drawings and work directly on the canvas.
His effect on the new Baroque style that emerged from Mannerism was profound. His influence can be seen directly or indirectly in the work of Peter Paul Rubens, Jusepe de Ribera, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Velázquez and Rembrandt, as well as many lesser-known artists. Artists most deeply influenced by him were called the "Caravaggisti" (or "Caravagesques"), as well as tenebrists or tenebrosi ("shadowists").
Caravaggio trained as a painter in Milan before moving to Rome when he was in his twenties. He developed a considerable name as an artist and as a violent, touchy and provocative man. He killed Ranuccio Tomassoni in a brawl, which led to a death sentence for murder and forced him to flee to Naples. There he again established himself as one of the most prominent Italian painters of his generation.
He travelled to Malta and on to Sicily in 1607 and pursued a papal pardon for his sentence. In 1609, he returned to Naples, where he was involved in a violent clash; his face was disfigured, and rumours of his death circulated. Questions about his mental state arose from his erratic and bizarre behavior. He died in 1610 under uncertain circumstances while on his way from Naples to Rome.
Reports stated that he died of a fever, possibly due to wounds. Suggestions have been made that he was murdered or that he died of lead poisoning.
Caravaggio's innovations inspired Baroque painting, which often incorporated the drama of his chiaroscuro with a lesser degree of psychological disturbance. As style evolved and fashions changed, Caravaggio fell out of favor. In the 20th century, interest in his work was revived, and his importance to the development of Western art was reassessed. The 20th-century art historian André Berne-Joffroy stated: "What begins in the work of Caravaggio is, quite simply, modern painting."
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Influenced by
- Titianeditorial inference
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- Giorgioneeditorial inference
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- Simone Peterzanoeditorial inference
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Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified. Teaching is recorded separately and does not itself establish artistic influence.
Later influence
- Jusepe de Riberaeditorial inference
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- Pensionante del Saracenieditorial inference
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- Peter Paul Rubenseditorial inference
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- Frank Stellaeditorial inference
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- Giorgio Morandieditorial inference
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- Gustave Courbeteditorial inference
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- Jacob Jordaenseditorial inference
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- Francisco de Zurbaráneditorial inference
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- Georges de La Toureditorial inference
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- Jan Cossierseditorial inference
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- Jacques-Louis Davideditorial inference
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- Hendrick ter Bruggheneditorial inference
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- Gerard van Honthorsteditorial inference
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- Valentin de Boulogneeditorial inference
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- Diego Velázquezeditorial inference
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- Francesc Ribaltaeditorial inference
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- Édouard Maneteditorial inference
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- Odd Nerdrumeditorial inference
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- Abraham Janssens Ieditorial inference
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The cited biography explicitly attributes artistic influence or inspiration to the named painter(s); retained as a secondary-source assertion. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Rembrandt van Rijneditorial inference
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- Juan Bautista Maínoeditorial inference
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- Johannes Vermeereditorial inference
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- Eugène Delacroixeditorial inference
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- Artemisia Gentileschieditorial inference
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- Domenico Fettieditorial inference
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- Mattia Pretieditorial inference
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- Guido Renieditorial inference
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- Claude Vignoneditorial inference
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- Hyman Bloomeditorial inference
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The biography identifies Caravaggio as an artistic influence on Hyman Bloom. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
Artworks by year
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Museums & collections
Documented holdings of works attributed to Caravaggio. Check the museum’s record for current display information.
- Galleria Borghese8 recorded works
- National Gallery3 recorded works
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art2 recorded works
- Uffizi Galleries2 recorded works
- Gemäldegalerie Berlin1 recorded work
- Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie1 recorded work
- Museo Nacional del Prado1 recorded work
- Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza1 recorded work
- National Gallery of Ireland1 recorded work
- Pinacoteca di Brera1 recorded work
- The Cleveland Museum of Art1 recorded work