Product Description

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 -- 1610) was one of the most innovative painters of his time, and one of the greatest artists of any age. Rescued from neglect, he has become a cultural icon in the late twentieth century, not only for his art but also because of his violent and tragic life. Catherine Puglisi's highly praised monograph, now available for the first time in paperback, supersedes all previous studies of the artist. Making full use of new research and dramatic recent discoveries, she has produced a precise, clear-headed and comprehensive work of scholarship that also provides a moving biography of the artist and a penetrating analysis of the genius with which he absorbed and transformed the artistic tradition of his time. All Caravaggio's works are discussed and illustrated in colour, and the book has an appendix of documents, full notes and bibliography, checklist of works and full indexes. This authoritative and beautifully produced monograph is the standard work on Caravaggio.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16653 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Catherine Puglisi's magnificent book on Michelangelo Merisi, better known simply as Caravaggio begins with Caravaggio's beguiling self-portrait as Bacchus, painted around 1594 when the artist was in his early twenties. This is then dramatically contrasted with the devastating self-portrait of the artist as the severed head of John the Baptist, painted only 15 years later in 1610, the year of Caravaggio's untimely death. These two pictures frame the incredible career of one of the most brilliant and complex of all Baroque artists, which is comprehensively analysed in Puglisi's wonderful study.

The book moves with great lucidity from Caravaggio's early success in Rome, to his exile in Malta and Sicily and his later astonishing religious paintings, undertaken in the dark years prior to his untimely death. Puglisi argues that Caravaggio was not the socially alienated painter that tradition has assumed, but that his highly innovative work took place within a deeply self-conscious awareness of contemporary developments within the composition of still life, portraiture, and devotional painting. What is so persuasive about Puglisi's argument is that, rather than diminish our sense of Caravaggio's originality, it only heightens our understanding of his brilliance in both composition and the use of light and colour. The final section of the book is particularly compelling in its account of Caravaggio's approach towards the composition of his work, as well as offering perceptive comments on the biographical assumptions which have grown up around the painter.

Throughout, Puglisi's passion for the paintings shines through; the book is beautifully produced, with nearly 200 wonderful illustrations, most in colour, a fascinating appendix of contemporary documents on the painter's life, and a checklist of all of Caravaggio's work. Caravaggio is a splendid book, which is undoubtedly destined to become the standard work in English on one of the greatest painters of Renaissance Italy. --Jerry Brotton

Customer Reviews

A wonderful book
This book must set the standard for books on Art History.
Catherine Puglisti writes so clearly that the narrative flows like a novel. All the sources are here and she has produced a mix of biography, social and religious history and art criticism which is unique. As the other reviews have said, the quantity and quality of the illustrations is superb.

Gorgeously illustrated, with balanced, insightful narrative
Caravaggio's pictures are lavishly illustrated here, but Puglisi gives you more for your money than just paintings. All the key sources (Baglione etc.) are given in full at the back, and her narrative covers both Caravaggio's pictures as well as his life with sensitivity and insight.
Studying Caravaggio, I read a variety of books, but this was the best by a mile. Very, very good value too.
"M" gives you polemic, albeit entertaining polemic.
This gives you sense and the evidence is before your eyes.

A great book
This book was essential during my History of Art course. It manages to be both informative and entertaining without being overly wordy like many art books. The images throughout were clear and extremely helpful during reading and the fact that they were in colour allows the reader to gain a fuller grasp about what the artist was trying to achieve.

This is a magnificent book that I recomend to everyone - be they art students or just people who are interested in the genius of Caravaggio. This book does what many books try vainly to do - be accessible to beginners and scholars alike. If only there were more authors like this in the art world...