【Book Introduction】
Caravaggio (1571–1610) was one of the most influential and legendary painters in Western art history. Born Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, he transformed the course of 17th-century European painting through his dramatic use of light and shadow, strikingly realistic depictions of the human figure, and compositions charged with intense theatrical tension.
His artistic achievements were as remarkable as his turbulent personal life. Known for his volatile temperament, Caravaggio was repeatedly involved in conflicts and violent incidents, eventually becoming a fugitive following a fatal altercation. Yet amid this unstable and tumultuous life, he continued to produce paintings of extraordinary power. In his works, saints, religious figures, and mythological characters were no longer presented as idealized beings, but as ordinary people with tangible flesh, emotion, and physical presence. Through his masterful manipulation of light, shadow, and facial expression, he brought an unprecedented sense of realism and drama to religious painting.
This volume brings together Caravaggio’s major paintings, reproduced using recent high-quality photography that allows readers to closely examine the gestures, expressions, textures, and subtle effects of light throughout his work. Numerous enlarged details further reveal his groundbreaking naturalism and his revolutionary approach to light, space, and pictorial depth.
Five accompanying chapters trace the development of Caravaggio’s artistic career, from his early public commissions in Rome and his gradual rise to prominence to his emergence as one of the most celebrated artists of his time. The book also explores his dramatic personal history, marked by conflict, flight, and constant upheaval. In Caravaggio’s life, art and experience were almost inseparable, and this intensity of lived experience became one of the defining forces behind the emotional power of his paintings.
Part of TASCHEN’s “40” series, this edition presents one of the publisher’s classic art monographs in a more compact format and at an accessible price, while retaining TASCHEN’s high standards of printing and image reproduction. For readers wishing to gain a comprehensive understanding of Caravaggio’s work, life, and enduring influence on art history, this volume offers an engaging combination of visual appreciation and art-historical insight.
【Details】
Author︰Sebastian Schütze
Publisher︰TASCHEN
Publication Year︰2021
Dimensions︰21 × 15 cm
Binding︰Hardcover
Pages︰512 pages