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Artists in 60 Seconds: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

From , former About.com Guide

Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Italian, 1571-1610) The Taking of Christ (1602) Oil on canvas 135.5 x 169.5 cm Society of Jesus of Ireland, on loan to the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Movement, Style, School or Type of Art:

Baroque

Date and Place of Birth:

Autumn, 1571, Milan or Caravaggio, Italy

Life:

Caravaggio was the Bad Boy of Baroque, and spent much of his time running from the aftermath of his legendary temper. He often painted Bible stories (which included images of known models and familiar landscapes) by day, while indulging in...er..."street life" by night. His style - where he worked quickly from live models and painted realistically - represented a radical departure from Mannerism. Nearly every Baroque painter emulated him, but he himself died young, on the run from more turmoil.

Important Works:

  • Judith Beheading Holofernes, ca. 1598
  • The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600
  • The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1600-01
  • The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-02

Date and Place of Death:

July 18, 1610, Porto Ercole, Italy

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