Baroque Artwork: The Influence of Caravaggio

            In the seventeenth century, a style known as Baroque art emerged in Italy as a response to the Catholic counter-reformation. After the rise of Protestantism, art was created to bring people back to the Catholic Church.  The purpose of this artwork was to stress the importance of saints, teach the laity, and emphasize the significance of the Eucharist. These subjects were included in artwork to restore confidence in the church. Baroque art is categorized by features such as drama, strong diagonals, light and dark contrasts, viewer involvement, naturalism, and illusionism. The theatricality of this artwork was intended to influence the viewer to return to the Catholic Church.

            One of the most influential Baroque painters was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. His artwork was incredibly dramatic and emotional, focusing on the most intense moment of a scene. Caravaggio used a monochromatic background to push figures to the forefront of the painting. Figures seem to practically topple out of the scene into the viewer’s space. Caravaggio was very interested in naturalism, so figures were realistic and lifelike. People are far from idealized and his paintings include dirty, gritty details. Caravaggio often includes a light source to create tenebrism, or intense light and dark contrasts of color. He also includes strong diagonals throughout the composition of his paintings. The subject matter of Caravaggio’s paintings is usually biblical and often includes saints. The emphasis on the importance of saints was propaganda to bring people back to the Catholic Church. Caravaggio’s style of painting influenced artist throughout Northern and Southern Europe for decades to come.  

 

            The Italian female artist Artemisia Gentileschi was clearly influenced and inspired by Caravaggio. Between 1611 and 1612, Gentileschi created the oil painting Judith Beheading Holofernes. The scene depicts a heroine, Judith, beheading a soldier to save the Jews from the Assyrians. The scene portrays the most heightened moment of drama, as Judith brings a sword to Holofernes neck and blood spews onto the bed. Gentileschi includes numerous Caravaggesque details such as the monochromatic background, strong light and dark contracts, diagonals, and naturalism. Artemisia did not create this painting as a part of the counter-reformation. Instead, this painting may represent retaliation against men or the empowerment of women.

            Another artist influenced by Caravaggio was the Dutch painter Gerrit Van Honthorst. Although Catholicism was mostly outlawed throughout Holland, Honthorst lived in a predominantly Catholic town. The Mocking of Christ, painted between 1617 and 1620, illustrates a group of men taunting and tormenting Jesus Christ. A torch in the center of the image creates an incredible contrast of light and dark colors. This dramatic lighting creates a sense of emotion and somberness for the viewer.  The men depicted are very naturalistic and look like people you might see in everyday life. Honthorst also uses a monochromatic background to push the figures forward and give the illusion of three dimension.

            As you can see, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an incredibly influential artist during the Baroque period. His dramatic, theatrical painting inspired artists for generations to come. Characteristics of his paintings can be found in paintings, sculptures, and architecture throughout Europe.