Caravaggio’s Narrative Compositions: Light, Timelessness, and Influence
Caravaggio’s Narrative Compositions
More complex compositions that take you to a narrative. You will be linking a whole series of characters often by gestures, and often by the light. There will be big news: only the scale of the scene, which creates a certain complexity.
It is the moment when Jesus comes into a tavern. Matthew was a tax collector, a detestable character. Jesus seeks and among those people most depraved and denigrated him choose, and freely accept or not. It represents the exact moment in which Christ comes to the place where Matthew and tells him to follow him, pointing. Light plays an important role as brand, with two pockets (one for the wall, with a high angular window and another that gives Peter back and legs from the rest), we are covering in this light the window which should have come. Pedro appears mateo calling because as founder of the church is choosing their pillars. Emphasizes the timelessness of the composition (composition based upon the Jesuits). It is something that appears from s. XV and mixing characters from different eras. We see that Christ and Peter are real appearances for his clothes at the time, whereas the rest, wear clothes typical of the seventeenth century. The usurer and another character have not even aware of the presence of Christ. We see becomes the center of the composition the hand of Matthew, who even thinks that it is saying follow me to that account. With the timelessness means that what has happened in the time of Christ with the call of Matthew happens every day that a youth or adult can receive God’s call. These are facts that are produced continuously. You have to watch the play of light in the legs that provide space.
The figures of Christ and Peter with their hands out will take us back to Michelangelo. The gesture of Christ seems weak, is stronger that of Peter. If you look at the creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel is the weak hand of Adam, and the strong expression of God is coinciding with that of Peter. If we approach the faces see a big difference. Christ appears with a thin beard and a face more beautiful. Goes looking for that feeling divine appearance, but his gesture force because it is imposing, lets you choose. Matthew did not answer at once, doubt, your eyes are in astonishment. Uptake is the time when freedom is clear between them.
The Martyrdom of St. Matthew
The light coming from above highlights the front. Below this box are conserved previous drawings that appear to be few models was feeling. We are struck by the composition: the great central triangle reminiscent of Leonardo’s classic compositions. Around this pyramid will develop the rest of the composition. The Martyrdom of St. Matthew took place in Ethiopia. Interpreted by the time the executioner’s sword just released and still holding the hand of Matthew who just cut. There is a suggestion of martyrdom, we all elements, but do not see blood. Light gives us more space. Is exceptional works of Caravaggio. They are the only pictures where we see a reference to the ground. Has put a staircase suggesting a cover or an interior courtyard. Matthew King of Ethiopia faced by a young woman he forced to marry after having given his life to God. We see the characters in the timelessness of the scene. We see people living with the artist, even at this in a self-portrait. The light is coming from the back and shining in their faces and in different ares. There is adiagonal is the basic figure of the left which leads to the hangman and then the angel, whose leg that comes out us out of the composition. Another diagonal lead us into the body of a saint to Caravaggio and the characters in the background. The virtually no color, there are only light and skin tones of the characters.
Influences on Caravaggio
The influences can be many: the Venetian school. We still have the recorded copy of a painting of St. Peter Martyr shown lying on the ground with one arm raised, the executioner is with the sword killing him. The other monk flees in horror in an act comparable to the child.