Welcome to the brand new Arthive! Discover a full list of new features here.

Caravaggio: masterpieces from the Borghese gallery

Exhibition November 21, 2017 − February 18, 2018
At the Getty Museum opened a unique exhibition of three famous works of the great Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio (1571-1610). The paintings for the exhibition were provided by Galleria Borghese in Rome, hosting the largest collection of Caravaggio paintings in the world.

One of the most talented painters in history, Caravaggio boldly developed a more naturalistic style used amazing theatrical compositions, and emphasized the common humanity of its main characters. His art was widely disseminated, caused very controversial among contemporaries and remains influential on the development of pictorial art over the centuries.

Three paintings presented at the exhibition "Caravaggio: masterpieces from the Borghese gallery" illustrate the most important stages are short but intense artistic career of Caravaggio.

Painting "Boy with a basket of fruit" (circa 1593-94) represents the beginning of the artist's career when he moved from Lombardy to Rome and first attracted attention as a painter of realistic genre scenes and still lifes. "Saint Jerome" (circa 1605) – depicts the Saint as a scientist, reading and commenting on the sacred Scriptures. The work is done in the dramatic light that glorified Caravaggio. The work of "David with the head of Goliath" (about 1610) is written at the end of the career of the artist in his more sombre and expressive late style. All three paintings were acquired by cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, who knew Caravaggio personally, and was one of his main backers.

Exhibition at the Getty Museum is the first part of the international exhibition programme of Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio, promoting Research Institute of Caravaggio.

On the official website The Getty Museum, Los Angeles.