Baroque: Caravaggio
Detail and emotion are two of the most appealing characteristics to me of Caravaggio's paintings. His work is so much darker and more dramatic than anything else that was being created at this time. I think it is amazing how he develops so much depth and texture in the figures in this painting through utilizing tones and sharp contrasts in light. I also think that the soft blending effects from oil paints add tremendously to this painting. Although it is a very emotionally distraught scene, it adds a sense of sorrow, but at the same time, almost peace. The detail in the figures make them seem so much more human, which to me is a refreshing change from the idealized renaissance paintings. This evokes so much more emotion from me because I feel more connected to the individuals in the scene.
There are a few techniques used in The Death of the Virgin that are characteristic to the Baroque period. For example, there are many diagonals and arcs used, essentially every figure is at a slight diagonal, including the virgin Mary who created two diagonals, one with her body and one with her arm that is limp to the side of her body. The men in the background make a diagonal with their heads, and there is an arc made above in the red piece of hanging cloth. There is even one that is the very dark wall in the deep background, all of these arcs and diagonals, when paired with the beautiful use of light and shadows, help draw your eye down to the virgin Mary. The intense contrast between light and dark in Caravaggio’s work is also characteristic of the Baroque period. The extremely deep values in the background help the viewer's eyes stay on the subject matter in the foreground. This also brings the painting to our field of vision, feeling as though you are in the scene.
This very large and beautiful oil painting was made between 1605 and 1606 in Italy and has strong influence from the Council of Trent. The shift from highly intellectual and hard to understand paintings during the high Renaissance to the human-like, clearer depictions of religious scenes in the Baroque period was facilitated from decisions made by the Council of Trent as an act of counter reformation. This influence is shown in this piece by the realism portrayed in the scene of the death of the virgin Mary. In many renaissance paintings, she is depicted as very spiritual and essentially non-human, she was always ascending to the heavens or surrounded by angels. But in this piece, Caravaggio really brought her down to mortal life. The only ode to her being a spiritual being is the extremely faint halo above her head. Other than that, she looks just like a normal person at the time. You can see the great texture in her skin and the lifeless position she has been placed in. Her feet are also bare, which is very uncommon in this time period, leading to controversy surrounding this piece. The scene of the death in this piece is also very straightforward and easy for anyone to understand, even if you do not have any religious knowledge, the message is easily understood, again, the Council of Trent’s goal with their influence.
“Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi Da.” WebMuseum: Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi Da, https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/caravaggio/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
“The Death of the Virgin, 1603 by Caravaggio.” The Death of the Virgin, 1603 by Caravaggio, https://www.caravaggio.org/death-of-the-virgin.jsp. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
“Death of the Virgin.” Death of the Virgin by Caravaggio, https://www.thehistoryofart.org/caravaggio/death-of-the-virgin/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, et al. “Caravaggio, Death of the Virgin.” " Caravaggio, Death of the Virgin, https://smarthistory.org/caravaggio-death-of-the-virgin/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
McKay, Brett & Kate. “The Basics of Art: The Baroque Period.” The Art of Manliness, 25 Sept. 2021, https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/the-basics-of-art-the-baroque-period/.
Morrin, Dermot. “Caravaggio’s Death of the Virgin.” St Albert’s, 15 Aug. 2020, https://scotland.op.org/caravaggios-death-of-the-virgin/.
For all of his failings as a person, Caravaggio remains one of my favorite painters throughout history. As much as his life was entrenched in "sin", the artist still met the demands of the Council of Trent with intense drama, and I imagine anyone viewing these at the time would've seen the realism. The way Mary lies motionless really draws me in and creates that feeling of devastation at the loss of her life. The master of tenebrism was able to create such relatable scenes by inserting real people into his pieces, regardless of the subject matter. He preferred to use models right off the streets and this created a feeling of connectivity to the observer. The benefit of his preference is on full display in this piece.
ReplyDeleteThis painting is quite beautiful. This painting's concept makes me feel like a calming vibe. It's awesome that we both selected the same artist for this blog assignment, and I adore how vibrant and deep the colors are in this piece! Mary's lifeless form truly captures my attention and evokes a sense of grief at her passing. The clear diagonal of every figure makes the influence of the Baroque era clear to see. The colors in this picture draw your attention to the scene it depicts, and the spotlight shining down on Mary. It truly speaks words. I'm sure that anyone seeing this at the time would have recognized the realism just as I did, when Caravaggio met the Council of Trent's demands with dramatic passion.
ReplyDeleteI like how well written this blog is. I too find it amazing how much depth Caravaggio creates in his paintings. This painting of the Virgin Mary dying does give off sad and calm vibes in a way. Mary seems to be standing out from the other people because of the light that is shining on her. Did you know that the Catholic belief declared by Pope Pius XII does not really say that Mary died before The Assumption?
ReplyDeleteHi Jordan! I like the painting you picked “The Death of the Virgin” by Caravaggio. There is a lot of emotions put into this painting. I found out that this painting is 369x235 cm which is bigger than a garage door!
ReplyDeleteI really love the strong emotion of this painting. The emotion alone draws you in and makes you feel the loss of Mary. You can understand the effect this is having on the people surrounding her. The vivid colors of her clothing just adds further to this emotion. I think this is an excellent depiction of the Baroque era.
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