Friday, June 18, 2010

The Sinner not the Saint

David with head of Goliath
1609-1610

CARAVAGGIO
1571-1610
My intention for today was to soften up on the brutal world, I have lately focused on. But then last night I ended up seeing a Documentary about Caravaggio from BBC, from the Simon Schama "Power of Art" Series (the accent makes me miss my British friends). And I thought that I had to round up this week with the originator of the realistic brutal art. 

As Simon Shama says:

Caravaggio... Crashes the safety barrier of the frame... it tears away the separation- it reaches you.

Makes something sacred out of the life of the squalid.

Makes the sinner not the saint.

Caravaggio painted himself as the sinner not the hero, the self portrait of himself as Goliath is his offer to Borghese for pardoning him. Although he manages to die from fever after trying to catch (on feet) the boat that his paintings were left on. The whole story sounds absolutely mad. But mad he was with a long history of his own brutal behavior and also murder. But madness as we know it can be behind the most progressive Art.

He lived and experienced the world of the "People" and he brought their imperfections into the house of God. The church accepted and admired his work because it made the people relate, it made them believe.

Medusa 1597

I was always so fascinated with the story of Medusa and her power of turning the onlooker into stone.
Madonna of the Loreto
1603-1605

His Madonna is a Woman on a street corner (he always used "real" people as models).


Bacchus
1593




His Bacchus is sick looking, with not the freshest fruit.


Narcissus
1598-99

Caravaggio lived hard and his work is harsh. 
But you will never forget the strength and the morbid beauty of any of his paintings.

Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy 
1606


Must your weekend be rich of adventures!
Love Kristin



7 comments:

  1. WOW! just WOW!

    *kiss kiss*
    Happy Weekend!!!!
    Erika
    ~Tiptoe Butterfly~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah yes, Caravaggio! Breathtaking! XO!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy piece is stunning...Have a wonderful weekend my dear! I am relaxing and recharging:)
    Kisses sweetie

    ReplyDelete
  4. I absolutely love Caravaggio! I took an entire course on 17th century Dutch painting in college!

    Gorgeous post, darling!

    xoxox,
    CC

    ReplyDelete
  5. sometimes a little harshness is required to make us sit up and take notice of the not so pretty things in life...i loved these paintings. thanks for sharing!

    p.s dont forget to check out the giveaway contest on my blog.

    Persis
    http://www.onestylemile.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  6. one of my favorite artists...........real, yet almost, too real. You can go back into time, and not only see his world, but his soul. The Sleeping Cupid & Judith Beheading Holofernes, are examples of his violent, yet intimate being........

    ReplyDelete