By Victoria Cardiel
Vatican City, Apr 1, 2025 / 13:12 pm
The adventures of Michelangelo Merisi (1571–1610), known as Caravaggio, were intertwined with the religious context in Rome from his earliest days as a painter.
The Ordinary Jubilee of 1600, under the papacy of Clement VIII, was a turning point in his career.
That year, Caravaggio received his first public commission for the Contarelli Chapel in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi (St. Louis of the French in Rome). He painted the famous series on St. Matthew: “The Calling of St. Matthew,” “St. Matthew and the Angel,” and “The Martyrdom of St. Matthew.”
“It was a pivotal moment for Caravaggio. From that commission onward, his success grew exponentially, and his style began to influence an entire generation of artists,” Thomas Clement Salomon shared with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
Clement Salomon is one of the three curators of the Caravaggio 2025 exhibition, organized by the Palazzo Barberini, where he serves as director, and the National Galleries of Classical Art.
The remarkable retrospective exhibit, running until July 6, showcases 24 of Caravaggio’s works, including two previously unseen paintings, “Portrait of Maffeo Barberini” and “Ecce Homo.” The latter was displayed at the Prado Museum in Madrid and was discovered only a few years ago. This exhibition serves as a tribute to the holy year.
Step into the world of Caravaggio at the Barberini Palace in Rome, where a historic exhibition is bringing together 24 of the artist’s most iconic works. One of these masterpieces is the “Ecce Homo” from Madrid, a piece that showcases Caravaggio’s unique style and vision.
Director Clement Salomon shared, “The jubilee is a special moment for Rome, and Caravaggio is an artist who has a very strong connection with the city.” This exhibition is a symbolic return for Caravaggio to the city that shaped his destiny, highlighting the profound impact Rome had on his artistic journey.
Explore Caravaggio’s artistic journey through four sections that cover approximately 15 years of his life, from his time in Rome to Naples, Sicily, and Malta, until his eventual return to Rome. This exhibition, part of the cultural events of the Jubilee of Hope, offers a unique opportunity to witness Caravaggio’s devotion to realism in depicting biblical events.
Curator notes, “He was the first painter to paint things as they are, not beauty. He rejected Renaissance idealism and chose to paint real models: friends, lovers, common people.” Caravaggio’s extreme realism may have sparked controversy, but it also solidified his position as a revolutionary and influential figure in the art world.
When Caravaggio painted ‘The Death of the Virgin’ for Santa Maria della Scala church, they refused to accept it because, it was said, he had used a deceased prostitute as a model,” the director related.
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In any case, the religious genre takes on a special intensity in his work. A stroll through the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi (St. Louis of the French in Rome) and a pause in front of the three canvases of St. Matthew painted by the artist is enough to understand the mystery of the Christian faith.
“He is an artist who, through his painting, allows us to enter the scene he depicts. He is a bridge between sacred history and the viewer. His way of illuminating Gospel episodes allows us to experience them intensely,” the expert noted. An example of this is the work “St. Francis in Ecstasy,” the first example of the artist’s religious work in Rome.
The works created specifically for this church and those of Santa Maria del Popolo church are not part of the exhibition. “We haven’t asked for loans from the churches because that would distort their purpose,” explained Clement Salomon, who added that, in any case, there is a guide within the exhibition that shows pilgrims the ideal itinerary to discover the profound spirituality of Caravaggio’s works.
Caravaggio’s turbulent personal life has contributed to his image as a tormented artist. Impulsive in nature, he was involved in numerous disputes, the most serious of which was the murder of Ranuccio Tomassoni in 1606, which forced him to flee Rome. “After that episode, his painting changed. It became darker, more introspective, as if his own personal torment were reflected in his works,” Clement Salomon explained.
An example is “The Capture of Christ,” on loan for the Caravaggio 2025 exhibition from the National Gallery in Dublin. “It’s a stunning painting. You feel as if you’re inside the scene, watching Judas betray Jesus. Caravaggio even paints a self-portrait in the work, depicting himself illuminating the scene with a lantern. It’s a testament to his narrative genius,” Clement Salomon commented.
