Caravaggio’s Late Works: Resurrection, Saints, and Redemption
Resurrection of Lazarus
Commissioned by Lazari (?).
We again have a general scene, except for Christ and Lazarus, with a background of a wall. Lazarus makes a hand gesture like the Jesus of the calling of Matthew. Christ’s gesture in this painting, however, is more potent than the gesture in the other picture (from Matthew). Lazarus comes out with his arms crossed, an unusual position, but perhaps intended to parallel the resurrection of Christ, demonstrating the power of resurrection. The figure of Lazarus creates a strong diagonal that leads to the figures of Martha and Mary (who doubted the resurrection of Lazarus). The light hits the figures from the side, creating chromatic stains.
BACK TO NAPLES 1609 (photocopies)
Return to the gloomy Roman style but with the solidity of the figures.
San Juan Bautista
Caravaggio seems to be throwing in the towel, and it can be seen in the figures, especially when compared to the San Juan del 1600. The stages are held together only by the light and the dark, now dead and heavy, and also the focus of the spotlight which gives a plastic look to the figure.
The child now has a totally sad expression, the lamb is uncared for, abandoned, disappointed.
In 1600, the boy challenged us, staring defiantly, smiling and provocative. Now the nudity has disappeared, the cloth covering him. He is normal, natural, and has nothing to do with the exaltation of the figure and the other female beauty. The front arm brings us back to Michelangelo. There is only one diagonal, almost in height, with a foreground, a very monumental figure.
Salome with the Head of the Baptist
Salome, who always wore a very fine ball gown, now wears normal clothes. We can only guess at her former status because of the slight provocation of the neckline. The light shines on the chest and the head of the Baptist. There is no shade, only darkness, with the expression of Salome showing some reluctance, some repellency, and sadness at the same time. Clearly, the stay.
The figures are in the foreground and much more static as opposed to, for example, Judith.
The anatomy of the executioner can be compared with that of Holofernes.
Space is deep, the figures seem to emerge and disappear at that depth. Caravaggio was sunk.
Last Work: David
David has overcome sin. Caravaggio needs to be forgiven. He was sent to the pope. It has been said that the head of Goliath is a self-portrait, completely defeated, and he needs the pope to forgive him. The David no longer has the vitality of a child, as he did in 1606. There is great sadness in the face of Goliath.
Annibale Carracci: 1560-Roma Bologna 1609
Contemporary of Caravaggio.
He was not as brave as Caravaggio and wanted to please everyone.
In the last third of the sixteenth century, in Bologna, there was a Miguelangelo (mannerism) influenced by Pellegrino Tibaldi, and a certain flamenco realism, from private collections and paintings of The Campi (large workshop area of Lombardy) which reaches through Passarotti Bologna.
Thanks to the Farnese, Annibale left for Rome.
(THE REST IS COMING IN THE LEAVES OF THE TEACHER)
First Phase: Bologna: 1587-88/Roma stay in Venice 1594
With genre-painting of religious-secular painting-portrait-caricature …