preview

Caravaggio And Religion Of Michelangelo Merisi Caravaggio

Satisfactory Essays

Trevor Ferguson
Semester Paper
Art App.1020WI

Caravaggio and Religion Michelangelo Merisi Caravaggio was an esteemed Italian baroque artist whom, through his art, established various human connections to religion and his art by humanizing the holy scenes that he would depict. Caravaggio was born in 1571 in Milan where he trained as a painter before relocating to Rome. Over the years, Caravaggio had mastered his skills as an artist, using techniques such as tenebrism and chiaroscuro to become one of the most famous painters in Rome and eventually, the father the baroque artistic movement through his many contributions and influences. Caravaggio’s works, Judith Beheading Holofernes, Madonna di Loreto, and The Taking of Christ are all …show more content…

Color is also a major significant contributor to the overall feel of the artwork and in this work of art, there aren’t very many colors being used; a crimson red is used to highlight a small portion of the drapes in the background, as well as, the rivulets of blood coming from the man’s neck and soaking down into the sheets (Camara). Caravaggio’s representation of the scene in this work of art places a large emphasis on the overall dramatic and human connection we are able to form with the biblical scene. Take for example, the moment in time of this scene that Caravaggio decided to capture. Rather than depicting Judith (women with sword) holding the severed Assyrian general’s head afterwards, Caravaggio picked the moment that was the most tense and climactic so that we’re filled with those emotions as well. Furthermore, the expression of fear and agony in Holofernes’ face (figure 1) does well to establish a human connection with him through the overall realism of the artwork. Judith’s expression conveys her determined attitude and perhaps even some disgust or remorse. After careful examination of this work of art, The Beheading of Holofernes, it’s quite clear that Caravaggio’s intentions were to fill us with an overwhelming sense of intensity and drama while also allowing us to connect with the religious scene on a human level. Caravaggio’s

Get Access