Caravaggio
Fundamental Paintings to Understand the History of Painting
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The Incredulity of Saint Thomas (1602). Caravaggio
Oil on canvas. 107 x 146 cm
Neues Palais, Potsdam, Germany
In this work we can see several crucial characteristics of the Baroque (18th century), of which Caravaggio is one of the main exponents.
First, the so-called chiaroscuro: lights and shadows contrast violently, highlighting the point of higher tension of the painting: Saint Thomas placing his finger in Christ’s side.
The dramatic, alarming tone is also definitely Baroque. In general, the works of that period make us feel that everything is about to “explode”; in opposition to the peace and harmony in the Renaissance painting of the previous centuries. That dramatic exaggeration carried out to extremes with the chiaroscuro is called “Tenebrism.”
Caravaggio is an exceptional artist due to his talent —easily perceived in his works— and his style has a great number of followers, which are called “Caravaggisti”. But his revolutionary importance in the history of painting is due to the search of a unique realism, but rejecting idealization at the same time.
We can define him as one of the first painters that searched for beauty not only in beautiful things.
In this painting, for example, the apostles do not turn out to be pretty or ideal characters. Caravaggio utilizes peasants and rustic persons as models to represent sacred figures: This seems to be curious at first, but it turns out to be appropriate for a period marked or defined by strong contrasts as it is the Baroque.
Recommended links:
Characteristic Elements of Baroque Painting.
Fundamental Painters of the Baroque.
Rembrandt, Synonym of Chiaroscuro and Baroque.
Rubens, Wonderful Example of Baroque Painting.
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