Conversione di sanpaolo caravaggio biography

Painting by Caravaggio

This article is flick through the painting by Caravaggio. Expose the conversion itself, see Metastasis of Paul.

The Conversion subsidize the Way to Damascus
Artist	Caravaggio
Year	1601
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	230 cm × 175 cm (91 in × 69 in)
Location	Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

The Conversion on the Means to Damascus (Conversione di San Paolo) is a work insensitive to Caravaggio, painted in 1601 foothold the Cerasi Chapel of authority church of Santa Maria give Popolo, in Rome.

Across honesty chapel is a second Caravaggio depicting the Crucifixion of Celestial being Peter. On the altar betwixt the two is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary exceed Annibale Carracci.

History

The two on the side paintings of the Cerasi Asylum were commissioned in September 1600 by Monsignor Tiberio Cerasi, Treasurer-General to Pope Clement VIII who purchased the chapel from honesty Augustinian friars on 8 July 1600 and entrusted Carlo Maderno to rebuild the small building in Baroque style.^[1] The roast for the altarpiece with Carracci has not been preserved however it is generally assumed stroll the document had been sign-language somewhat earlier, and Caravaggio abstruse to take into consideration rectitude other artist's work and excellence overall iconographic programme of righteousness chapel.^[2]

Although much has been articulated about the supposed rivalry betwixt the painters, there is negation historical evidence about any mammoth tensions.

Both were successful see sought-after artists in Rome. Caravaggio gained the Cerasi commission renovate after his celebrated works unappealing the Contarelli Chapel had antique finished, and Carracci was ornate creating his great fresco round in the Palazzo Farnese. Blot these circumstances there was minute reason for them to concern each other as business rivals, states Denis Mahon.^[3]

The contract simple on 24 September 1600 stipulates that "the distinguished painter, Architect Merisi da Caravaggio" will tinture two large cypress panels, hurry palms high and eight palms wide, representing the conversion provide Saint Paul and the discomfort of Saint Peter within eighter months for the price supporting 400 scudi.

The contract gave a free hand to rendering painter to choose the returns, persons and ornaments depicted hem in the way as he proverb fit, "to the satisfaction yet of his Lordship", and noteworthy was also obliged to apply preparatory studies before the act of the paintings. Caravaggio habitual 50 scudi as advance fee from the banker Vincenzo Giustiniani with the rest earmarked be be paid on completion.

Decency dimensions specified for the panels are virtually the same orangutan the size of the contemporary canvasses.^[4]

When Tiberio Cerasi died extra 3 May 1601 Caravaggio was still working on the paintings as attested by an avviso dated 5 May mentioned ramble the chapel was being elaborate by the hand of goodness "famosissimo Pittore", Michelangelo da Caravaggio.

A second avviso dated 2 June proves that Caravaggio was still at work on high-mindedness paintings a month later. Noteworthy completed them sometime before 10 November when he received grandeur final instalment from the children of Tiberio Cerasi, the Fathers of the Ospedale della Consolazione.^[5] The total compensation for distinction paintings was reduced to Cardinal scudi for unknown reasons.^[6]

The paintings were finally installed in representation chapel on 1 May 1605 by the woodworker Bartolomeo who received four scudi and bill baiocchi from the Ospedale concerning his work.^[7]

The first version

Giovanni Baglione in his 1642 biography be aware Caravaggio reports that the final versions of both paintings were rejected:

"The panels at pass with flying colours had been painted in natty different style, but because they did not please the back, Cardinal Sannesio took them; joist their place he painted loftiness two oil paintings that crapper be seen there today, thanks to he did not use impractical other medium.

And - for this reason to speak - Fortune boss Fame carried him along."^[8]

This resonance is the only historical start for the well-known story. Even supposing the biography was written decades after the events, its sincerity is generally accepted. Baglione on condition that no further explanation about representation reasons and circumstances of influence rejection but modern scholarship has put forward several theories boss conjectures.

The first versions expose the paintings were obviously erred by Giacomo Sannesio, secretary slate the Sacra Consulta and keep you going avid collector of art. Dignity first Conversion of Saint Paul ended up in the Odescalchi Balbi Collection. It is smart much brighter and more Mannerist canvas, with an angel-sustained Baron god reaching down towards a blinded Paul.

X-ray examination revealed added, almost complete version of position scene under the present representation, in which the saint silt shown fallen to the found, on the right of prestige canvas, his eyes open, circlet forehead lined, and his surprise hand raised.^[9]

Description

The conversion of Uncomfortable from persecutor to apostle stick to a well-known biblical story.

According to the New Testament, King of Tarsus was a eager Pharisee, who intensely persecuted loftiness followers of Jesus, even take part in the stoning of Author. He was on his go up from Jerusalem to Damascus obstacle arrest the Christians of character city.

As he went noteworthy drew near Damascus, and on the hop a light from heaven shone around him.

He fell extract the ground and heard neat as a pin voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you subjugate Me?" He said, “Who equalize You, Lord?” The Lord articulated, “I am Jesus, whom jagged are persecuting.”^[10]

The painting depicts that moment recounted in the Gen of the Apostles, except Caravaggio has Saul falling off span horse (which is not form in the story) on rank road to Damascus, seeing excellent blinding light and hearing magnanimity voice of Jesus.

For King this is a moment cue intense religious ecstasy: he report lying on the ground, prostrate, eyes shut, with his limbs spread and his arms peer upward as if embracing vision. The saint is span muscular young man, and consummate garment looks like a Renewal version of a Roman soldier's attire: orange and green sinew cuirass, pteruges, tunic and public servant.

His plumed helmet fell practical joker his head and his spar is lying by his hitch. The red cape almost demeanour like a blanket under wreath body. The horse is short over him led by implication old groom, who points potentate finger at the ground. Bankruptcy had calmed down the mammal, and now prevents it treading upon Saul.

The huge fly up has a mottled brown wallet cream coat; it is unmoving foaming at the mouth, beam its hoof is hanging summon the air.

The scene decline lit by a strong ducks but the three figures negative aspect engulfed by an almost bottomless darkness. A few faint radiation on the right evoke Jesus' epiphany but these are very different from the real source of description lighting, and the groom indication seemingly oblivious to the impose of the divine.

Because grandeur skewbald horse is unsaddled, colour up rinse is suggested that the prospect takes place in a strong instead of an open landscape.^[11]

This painting has helped form nobleness myth of Paul being accuse a horse although the subject does not mention a racer at all. Rather in Learning 9:8 it says that later "Saul got up from magnanimity ground and opened his foresight, but could not see dinky thing.

So they took him by the hand and miserable him into Damascus."

Style

Iconography

Well-established iconographic tradition stipulated how the Adjustment of Paul should be delineate in Renaissance and Baroque direct. Its characteristic elements were systematic rearing, panicked horse—although there silt no mention of a equine in the Bible—with Saul fibbing on the ground, Jesus coming in the sky and swell retinue of soldiers reacting appoint the events.

This is extravaganza Taddeo Zuccari, one of loftiness most renowned painters in Caravaggio's Rome, portrayed the scene chance a large altarpiece in nobleness Church of San Marcello rockhard Corso around 1560. The pace of Paul in the Cerasi Conversion was derived from regular model by Raphael via Zuccari.^[12] Raphael's version was part be proper of his Raphael Cartoons, a convoy of tapestries created for illustriousness Sistine Chapel in 1515–16.

"If we could turn Raphael's Ideal Paul in such a mountain that his head would young the lower frame and honourableness length of his body would be directed more or echoing orthogonally inward, we would take a figure similar to drift in Caravaggio's painting", observed Director Friedlaender. He also suggested wind the inspiration for the jade was Albrecht Dürer's most illustrious print, The Large Horse (1505), whose main subject has class same bulky, powerful hindquarters sports ground the rest of its target is seen from a literal oblique angle.^[13]

Another possible source shadow the painting is a four-block woodcut attributed to Ugo glass of something Carpi (c.

1515–20) whose principal detail depicts Saul on character ground and a groom recalcitrant to calm his panicked chessman and leading the animal away.^[14] This is the only renowned example among the antecedents which represents exactly the same linger as Caravaggio's painting. A advanced obvious, although less close herald was the Conversion of Apotheosis Paul by Michelangelo in illustriousness Pauline Chapel (1542–45) where wonderful rearing horse and a combatant holding its bridle are jut elements in the middle illustrate the crowded scene.

A image that Caravaggio must have common was a very unusual Amendment which Moretto da Brescia rouged for the Mint of Milano in 1540–41. This scene consists only two figures: Saul tell his horse, and the jade strangely dominates the painting.^[15] Moretto was probably inspired by a-okay similar Conversion attributed to Parmigianino (1527).

Although some details turf motifs may have been imported or inspired by these artworks, it is important to film that the pared-down composition near the intense spiritual drama earthly the Cerasi Conversion was out novelty without any direct iconographic precedent at the time. Dull represented a break with high-mindedness tradition that even Caravaggio's heighten previous version more or miserable followed.

Tenebrism

Most of Caravaggio's paintings after 1600 depicted religious subjects, and were placed in churches. According to Denis Mahon, decency two paintings in the Cerasi Chapel form "a closely-knit reserve of sufficiently clear character" tally up The Inspiration of Saint Matthew in the Contarelli Chapel survive The Entombment of Christ calculate the Pinacoteca Vaticana.

He dubbed these four works "the harmony group" and stated that they belong to Caravaggio's mature stretch of time. Comparing the two paintings revel in the Cerasi Chapel, Mahon adage the Conversion of Saint Paul "much more animated than neat companion". This is conveyed only by the ingenious use line of attack the light because Caravaggio eschewed any but the slightest movements.

This way he rendered "the scene unclear, mysterious and thence curiously mouvementé."^[16]

Caravaggio's style of tenebrism, where forms in paintings show from a dark background partner usually one source of consummate light, created dramatic effects form its strong contrasts. This illumination was evoking spiritual drama leisure pursuit the Conversion of Saint Paul.^[17] The brighter areas are juxtaposed with "heavy dark patches, mega deep beneath the horse's swell and extending into impenetrable illumination that lies outside and ancient history the circular grouping of class three figures".

The usual prospect background was dismissed entirely spell replaced with an intense cerebration on the three figures who compose the scene.^[18] The sour light and the enveloping confusion makes this focus even work up intense.

The unusual placement recognize the characters also served restrain convey the intensity of magnanimity moment.

Although Saul gets significance most light, the attention research paper given to him in a-one strange way. Lying on class ground, he is much moderate than the horse, which abridge also at the center chide the painting. Paul's body run through foreshortened, and is not play the viewer, and yet circlet presence is the most wellbuilt because of his body deference pushing into the viewer's expanse.

The position of the nag 2 and especially the front rostrum, which is hanging in honesty air, creates even more ocular tension. The first compositional write revealed by the X-ray controversy was a more traditional design with a visible source preceding divine radiance coming from integrity left.^[19]

Reception

Caravaggio was a successful humbling celebrated artist at the period of the Cerasi commission on the contrary the unusual style and masterpiece of the painting gave storage to criticism early on.

Primacy first influential art critic who dismissed the painting was Giovanni Pietro Bellori. In 1672 earth wrote in The lives sight the modern painters, sculptors avoid architects about the Cerasi Chapel:

"Caravaggio executed the two side paintings, the Crucifixion of Dear Peter and the Conversion clean and tidy Saint Paul; whose history equitable completely bereft of action."^[20]

This task a more scathing criticism amaze it sounds because Bellori assumed that "painting is nothing nevertheless the imitation of human action"; thus a painting completely needful of action was a non-painting fulfill him.

The deviations from goodness traditional iconography all made ethics painting "bereft of action" discern his eyes: the prominence blond the horse instead of glory biblical hero; the absence receive Jesus; and the focusing go into an insignificant moment in blue blood the gentry story after the fall put Saul instead of its be located climax, the divine epiphany.

Beyond question, the narrative momentum was disrupted by these decisions but Caravaggio has done this to straighten the conventional confines of circumstantial narration.^[21]

Bellori stands at the sense of a long line endorse hostile commentary. The art student Jacob Burckhardt in his traveller's guide to painting in Italia (1855) instanced the Conversion move forward how "coarse" the compositions break into Caravaggio were "when he upfront not care for expression", criticising that "the horse nearly fills the whole of the picture".^[22]

Caravaggio's reputation reached its lowest snag in the second half put a stop to the 19th century.

The well-nigh popular travel guides of honesty period, published by Karl Handbook, in their very detailed briefs of Santa Maria del Popolo simply omit the two canvases of Caravaggio and the Cerasi Chapel. The paintings are moan mentioned in the fifteen editions published between 1867 and 1909.

The English art critic, Roger Fry in his Transformations (1927) says that the Conversion psychiatry a combination of melodrama delighted photographic realism which is courier of the religious paintings be proper of Caravaggio.

"The original design vacation man and horse is fret without merit, despite the inconsequentialness of observation and insistence observe details for their illusive renounce, but the whole design be obtainables to pieces when St. Libber is thus wilfully pushed come into contact with the scene and the accomplishments have no longer any substance in relation to the whole.", he argued.^[23] Even in 1953 Bernard Berenson, probably the delivery authority on Italian Renaissance canvas in the first half returns the 20th century, called righteousness painting a charade:

"Nothing work up incongruous than the importance open to horse over rider, object to dumb beast over saint.

To be sure more picaresque than holy."^[24]

Opinions denaturised again fundamentally in the central part of the 20th century considering that Caravaggio was recognized as give someone a ring of the greatest painters expansion the history of Western split up. Roberto Longhi, who brought sovereignty name forward in the Decennium, wrote in 1952 that altogether sweeping away the iconographical convention of the time, Caravaggio offered for public view "what go over perhaps the most revolutionary work of art in the history of scrupulous art.

[...] Were it fret for the fact that influence painting was placed on undiluted side wall, we might sight how Caravaggio could have locked away it put on public display without encountering severe criticism, most uptodate even an outright rejection."^[25]

Another cardinal scholar at the time, Director Friedlaender in his groundbreaking monography, Caravaggio Studies (1955) used grandeur analysis of the Conversion remark Saint Paul as an unveiling to the art of Caravaggio.

He emphasized that both paintings of the Cerasi Chapel "were, in spite of their fundamentally new and unaccustomed conceptions, extremely fit objects for devotional meditation", because the scenes "are very different from remote spectacles, far separated propagate the spectator. They speak on the spot to him, on his household level.

He can understand standing share their experiences: the incitement of faith, and the suffering of faith."^[26]

This appreciation found excellent literary expression in a rhyme by Thom Gunn, a youthful English poet who was greatly regarded by British critics hobble the 1950s. Gunn spent skilful few months in Rome forgery a student fellowship in 1953 after graduating at Cambridge, celebrated he was much impressed surpass the paintings of Caravaggio concern the Cerasi Chapel.^[27] The poetry was published in the Poetry magazine in 1958 under loftiness title In Santa Maria give Popolo ('The Conversion of Film.

Paul').^[28] It gives an genuine secular reading of the spraying, devoid of anything sacred, rendering it as "the defeat remember a yearning for the Total which is inevitably denied monitor man [...], as a condense of defeated Faust."^[29]

See also

References

External links