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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After more than four centuries, the art of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio continues to take people’s breath away.
Some experts say the work of Caravaggio heavily influenced the Baroque period of art, and visitors can see his works at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg at its latest exhibition: “In Caravaggio’s Light: Baroque Masterpieces from the Fondazione Roberto Longhi.”
In addition to two Caravaggio works, patrons can see his influences in dozens of others.
Two of Caravaggio’s early works — “Boy Bitten by a Lizard” and “Boy Peeling Fruit” — are on display.
The Italian artist was active starting at the end of the 16th century. For context, that’s close to 100 years after Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
Some of his works and the other Baroque art are part of the collection of Roberto Longhi, an Italian art historian and collector. Longhi died in 1970, and representatives of his foundation came to the MFA St. Pete to see the work hung.
Many Baroque paintings depict religious themes, and the exhibition’s large hanging canvasses are filled with dramatic scenery of Jesus’ life and death.
These solemn scenes are a marked departure from the details of Caravaggio’s personal life, which historians say was filled with brawling, murder and banishment.
Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church used dramatic interpretations of biblical teachings by artists influenced by Caravaggio to inspire religious devotion.
“I think it’s important to imagine that during this time period, there was no color print. There were no TVs, no computer screens,” explained Stanton Thomas, the chief curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.
The exhibit’s paintings also show an element Caravaggio used to “up” the drama — “chiaroscuro,” or the sharp and dramatic contrast of light and dark.
The museum is also hosting an accompanying exhibition “Baroque Continuum,” which shows Caravaggio’s impact on art both is his time and long after.
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Virginia Johnson
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