Carracci and Caravaggio: Art Analysis and Historical Context
Carracci and Caravaggio: A Comparative Analysis
The composition features a central focal point, dividing the figures into two balanced groups. Positioned in the foreground, the figures stand out against a landscape that recedes like a backdrop, emphasizing their monumentality and precise detail. The clear light illuminates all figures equally, avoiding strong lateral shadows, unlike Raphael’s approach. This creates subtle chromatic nuances.
Conical perspective draws the eye to the background, contrasting with the diagonals found in Caravaggio’s Baroque style. The figures evoke the style of great masters. Venus, for example, is comparable in size to Michelangelo’s figures. The male figures display a muscular density reminiscent of the Hercules Farnese and Michelangelo’s works. The colors, while not as rich as those in Venetian art, are dominated by nudes. Color is introduced in only two figures, with a flat, dry quality derived from Raphael. Red and blue are prominent, creating a balanced effect. Ariadne is depicted in cool blue, while Bacchus is adorned in red, adding a note of quality and tonal balance. The Bacchante, located at the edge of the composition, is one of the most dynamic figures, with soft fabrics clinging to her body, revealing her anatomy beneath a red mantle, a Baroque touch enhanced by cherubs in the sky above.
Venus is wrapped in yellow, a color that appears to be directly illuminated rather than blended, giving her a sculptural appearance. Bacchus is portrayed as young and beautiful, contrasting with the older, thicker satyr or faun, who is perpetually drunk, while Dionysus remains composed. Bacchus’s musculature is derived from Michelangelo’s figures, such as those in the Sistine Chapel. The designs of these vaults have been preserved.
Scenes of Lunettes and Pediments
Two scenes depict Polyphemus, one as a lover and the other in a rage. He is portrayed as the Cyclops confronted by Odysseus, who stabs a stake into his eye. We see him rising in anger, attempting to hurl rocks. This figure echoes the Farnese Hercules, with absolute nakedness and naturalistic treatment. The figure’s twisting posture conveys momentum and energy, illustrating his rage. The clear light enhances his charm. He appears in the foreground, perfectly depicted in full volume and bulk.
Influences and Comparisons
Another immediate model is Michelangelo’s Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, demonstrating Carracci’s close connection to this iconic work. We see Polyphemus in love, as well as Mercury and Paris.
Contarelli Chapel, Church of St. Louis of the French (1600-1602)
The chapel was commissioned by Matthew Contarelli, a French trader. The Chevalier de Arpino had already begun work on the ceiling, still within the Mannerist style. Contarelli sought an artist for the walls but passed away before finding one. After his death, those in charge of his will entrusted the commission to Caravaggio through Cardinal Mount. The chapel features three oil paintings on canvas. The third, depicting St. Matthew and the Angel, was initially rejected for being deemed unworthy and lacking decorum. The chapel is notable for its central skylight, which Caravaggio skillfully utilized.
The Calling of St. Matthew
The canvases are large, measuring two to three meters. The format of the cloth dictates the composition.