Art Appreciation: Caravaggio, the Caravaggisti, and Baroque Art

Who was Caravaggio? And why is his art significant? We will answer these two questions, and many more in this three-hour-session. During the first part of the session, we will focus on Caravaggio’s himself, his life and style. We will look in particular at his dramatic and meaningful use of the chiaroscuro effect. Other elements will be highlighted, such as a psychological depth, a stark realism, as well as tightly cropped compositions that get us as close as possible to the action. As we study these recurring characteristics, we will seek to understand what such art does to us as viewers, and how it is the opposite to the classical approach to composition and narration. You will also learn about Caravaggio’s influence on many other artists throughout Europe. We will study works by the Italians Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi, the Naples-based Spaniard Ribera, the Flemish Rubens, the Dutch Rembrandt, and the French Georges de la Tour. As we do so and develop our ability to recognise Baroque works of art, we will explain how the visual characteristics and subject matters express a specific historical context,

marked by the consequences of the Counter-Reformation for the Catholic Church.