Art History Blog 6

Today was a tour di Caravaggio . We visited the sites of some of the artist’s most important commissions by way of the streets he walked in the seventeenth century. I have described Caravaggio’s artwork in my previous entry and the issues with decorum he faced.

When Caravaggio began painting, his work sold for very little. It wasn’t until he was discovered by Cardinal Del Monte, a patron of music and the arts, that he began to gain recognition. Although the Cardinal was not an extravagant man, he was in charge of the décor for the papal chapel and because of this, was able to bring Caravaggio’s unique style to the forefront of Roman painting.

The first church we visited was the French National Church dedicated to St. Louis which is the home to Caravaggio’s first altarpiece commission based on the life of St. Matthew. In a small chapel to the left of the main altar are three works by Caravaggio depicted the calling of St. Matthew by Christ, St. Matthew writing the gospel and his martyrdom. Like all of Caravaggio’s works, issues of decorum were raised when placing highly realistic art in a religious context. These issues are amplified by their placement across the church from a chapel by Domenichino, another popular artist of the time. In Caravaggio’s “Calling of St. Matthew,” the figures are placed in a very secular setting and the scene is difficult to read. There is a strong contrast of light and shadow which partially obscures Christ and there has even been some debate as to exactly which figure is St. Matthew. In contrast, the wall frescoes in the chapel by Domenichino (which also include an altar by Guido Reni) is dedicated to St. Cecelia. By using a pastel colors, clearly readable gestures, idealized figures and a clear study of Classical architecture, Domenichino’s work achieves a legibility not found in Caravaggio’s paintings. Domenichino also demonstrates serious deliberation in his composition and a mastery of effete, the portrayal of emotion.

The comparison of these two chapels leads one to wonder, what is more effective? In terms of aesthetics, a modern viewer would certainly be more interested in Caravaggio’s work as it is highly original and more in line with contemporary aesthetics. However, the legibility and careful deliberation seen in Domenichino’s work makes the work more readable and less confusing, an important aspect of church art. And yet, the directness and down-to-earth qualities in Caravaggio’s painting brings religious subject matter into the earthly realm thus making it more accessible to the viewer.