Late Caravaggio

Late Caravaggio. Naples and London Author(s): Richard E. Spear Source: The Burlington Magazine, Vol. 147, No. 1223, Art in Northern Europe (Feb., 2005), pp. 140-142 Published by: The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20073876 Accessed: 24-05-2015 16:20 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Burlington Magazine. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 129.2.19.102 on Sun, 24 May 2015 16:20:33 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions EXHIBITION REVIEWS seem and the other itaUanate gothic as coexisted and, Giusep peacefuUy notes in her exceUent essay in pina Perusini one or the choice between the catalogue, style (no. 14), painted either in BeUuno or in nearby Feltre, and theHerbe pincte (no. 15), in which Guarnerino Antonio the Paduan vaguely to have por trayshimselfholding a brush in one hand and in the other. herbs was new The from introduced Padua theotherwas not dictated by theUnguisticties style of painting and Venice a sen who Vivarini, painted in BeUuno,3 for a church sational altarpiece da Montagnana, who left a fres and to Jacopo co in the survive Museum; cycle (fragments to Alvise thanks no. 19) in the sala del consigno NobiU. Itwas assim?ated and of Palazzo and Antonio and Cesa Antonio active of BeUuno there. Their but works Spiazzi, Giovanna Galasso, Rita Bernini and Luca 512 pp. incl. 298 col. pis. + 70 b. & w. ills. (SU Majoli. vana Editoriale, M?an, 56. ISBN 88-8215 2004), Maria da 785-7. 2 F. Zeri: 'Antonio Rosso da Cadore una serie e alcu ni problemi', Antolog?a di Belli Arti 4, nos. 14-15 (1980), pp. 141-44. 3 The altarpiece was destroyed in the Flackturm in Berlin in 1945; however a beautiful Vivarini panel of Sts Jerome and John the Baptist from another altar once occasionaUy only are shown in the of impeccable examples late gothic woodcarvings from the busy work to from Bressanone shops of the Val Pusteria, Brunico (Bruneck) and Tesido In BeUuno d'altare was asked the Venetian model in vogue and da Montagnana the Jacopo heroic and virtuous feats were of reinforced the (no. 17). of the pala local nobiUty to celebrate the of to the Romans from, and fideUty to, sentiments Such forebears. by sarcophagus Sertorianus,which the discovery of Gaius Flavius in 1480 Ost?ius testified to the antiquity on the city. The mountain communities, altar commissioned the other hand, winged Klocker, Potsch, pieces from Hans Ruprecht of Parth, Simon and Veit von Taisten Michael and Andr? hard and Cadore HaUer. fast rule: This Late division in S. Lorenzo was not at Selva a di the beautiful altarpiece by Antonio Caravaggio Naples and London 8o. Funerary monument to Paul Imhof, from the circle of Pietro Lombardo. After 1478.Marble. (S. Croce, S. Croce di Lago). SOMETIME (no.31), strongly influenced by Viva coexists with Tyrolean (no.63). sculpture In the city, however, the situation was differ a monu ent. When Matteo Cesa planned Rosso rini, altar (no.27; Fig.79) for his mental wooden at BeUuno, in S. Stefano fam?y he was chapel by inspired by the 'sacre conversazioni' painted and translated Alvise's the Venetians painted into a carved work cross-currents and had quences for later figurative art. Unlike more situation fluid earUer the time of the greatMichael the two late fifteenth the at in the century Pacher, by the Ger cultures, century to each and Venetian, apparendy kept on one side of a greater its own path, aware, on the other of a in their painting, modernity man in wood. command of sculpting magisterial are traces of some in the beau There dialogue tiful wooden by Andrea for a church signed a BeUuneUo, in sculptor originaUy from BeUuno but active in FriuU contacts where with more apparendy relationship, lagous artists were the German (no.46). productive in iconographical ana An terms, can be noted in the beautiful reUef of the Agony in thegarden (no.43; Fig.80) on the tomb of Paul Imhof, a member of a powerful mercantile fam?y,who died in 1478wh?e en route from Germany on one of his frequent FEBRUARY 2005 CXLVII journeys between Venice and Nuremberg, and was buried in the church of S. Croce del Lago. 'Deutsch' to indicate and the 'Welsch' two - northern the terms styles, one a about 1609, to Sic?y, escape subsequent described inMessina as Giacomo exact meaning but Caravaggio was by Baron Niccol? a having in using di stravolto. His cervello the word stravolto is Ught of his predicament in 1609, expeUed from theOrder of theKnights ofMalta, and for doubly a fugitive, wanted in Rome and inMalta for fleeing. Caravaggio's murder, are the after he left Rome turbulent years focus of the beautiful exhibition seen by the reviewer present used still in the Museo di Capodi and (closes February), Naples at the National this month Gallery, 6th monte, opening London (now in the parish church at Cavar BeUuno zano), made Madonna AUGUST uncertain, if these meetings conse significant any BEFORE year after his induction into the Order of the Knights of Malta, his imprisonment a month laterfor takingpart in a brawl, and his the adjective's gist is clear: that was mind distressed, Caravaggio's agitated, even twisted, which is hardly surprising in the and deUberately of Germanic Fl?gelalt?re. ignored the influence can We ask ourselves 79. Virgin and Child enthronedwith Sts Paul, Anthony Abbot, Joseph, Stephen,John theBaptist and afemale saint, Painted and g?ded wood, byMatteo Cesa, ci500. c.520 by 240 by 47 cm. (S. Stefano, BeUuno). E. SPEAR byRICHARD Universityof Maryland altarpieces I4O to the exhibition lent from Berlin in Feltre has been (Taisten). their descent emphasise their exemplary as 1 Catalogue: A nord di Venezia. Scultura e pittura nelle val?ate dolomitiche tra G?tico e Rinascimento. By Anna by along with exhibition to make ? offered 'tanto al rito italiano che tedesco' altarpiece in the ItaUan rite as in the German. much of a rather Tisoi, shadowy representative and by Jacopo da Valenza local Renaissance, a faithful, modest of Alvise, foUower (no.41), a native not styles did partic 1607 a woodcarver although in the Trentino an provincial artists, including Antonio Rosso, Matteo in fuse, ularly from Tesero dei transformed two The of the patrons. to 22nd May).1 (23rd February are indeed erratic, late pictures Caravaggio's swinging from of chaos the powerful, mannered acts of mercy (cat. no.4; Naples a pattern of such Fig. 81), wherein begins the Seven only; confusinglypositioned bodies that often it is difficultto teUwhich limb belongs towhom; to the three majestic, SiciUan altarpieces the very late Denial of St Ursula press upon one Martyrdom figures urgency. A recent classical comparatively to (nos. 10-12; Fig.82); of St Peter (no. 17) and (no. 18; Fig.83), whose relendess another with cleaning of the latter canvas surprisinglyuncovered a disembodied hand that bizarrely shoots out from in a futile effort to protect saint. THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE This content downloaded from 129.2.19.102 on Sun, 24 May 2015 16:20:33 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions almost nowhere the submissive EXHIBITION 1606. 390 by 8i. The seven acts ofmercy,by Caravaggio. 260 cm. (Pio Monte deUa Misericordia, Naples; exh. Museo di Capodimonte, Naples). REVIEWS 82. Burial ofSt Lucy, by Cara vaggio. 1608. 408 by 300 cm. (S. Lucia, Syracuse, on deposit at the there are twenty count, By this reviewer's one extant, securely original, post-Roman GaUeria di Regionale Palazzo BeUomo, paintings by Caravaggio (excluding the Madonna del Rosario in Vienna, which is Syracuse; exh. Museo a Roman or twenty-two picture), probably if the Nativity, stolen thirty-five years ago in seventeen is added. That of those Palermo, were was a remarkable in Naples to see the three SiciUan just in one the visit gaUery made In addition, the National Gal Naples). exhibited achievement: altarpieces worthwh?e. sent its at Emmaus (no.i) lery, London, Supper to in the Brera the later version hang beside StiU rarer was the welcome oppor (no.2). were which about also painted four years vision apart evolved. interesting was surely was which sadly career Malta, in in the exhibition only by the SleepingCupid (no.8) Malta (mostprobably and PortraitofaKnight of Antonio ation MarteUi; no.9) (no. 15) isMaltese argues in the ? catalogue.2 unless too, the Annunci as David Stone late Caravaggio's masterpiece, the Beheading ofStJohn theBap tist in VaUetta, could its size and, as with included nately not be borrowed due to in Malta, the St Jerome in the catalogue (no.7) but unfortu not lent, the condition of the Portrait ofAlofdeWignacourt in theLouvre precluded its travel (oddly the latter is described in the preface a not and in Ferdinando securely autograph Bologna's work). essay as ExceUent fuU-sizedigital reproductions of theBeheading and St Jerome served as useful substitutes. The reviewer's taUy of includes paintings which (no.3), twenty-two post in the St Francis looked entirely con vincing as a work of c. 1607. The St John the Baptistfrom theGaUeria Borghese (no. 19) is included, it seems but too, from putably the second Its tighdy modeUed are not phase of Caravaggio's the year he spent represented Naples. This Cremona and sim?arly reveal the speed with which Caravaggio's The most FlagellationofChrist inRouen is theonly other widely accepted late original not lent to Roman tunityof considering together both versions of Salomewith thehead of theBaptist (nos. 13 and 14), respectivelyfromMadrid and London, late di Capodimonte, than NeapoUtan indis late work, inepdy drawn rightwrist and hand or impossibly long right cited in docu leg. If in fact this is the picture as ments on the eve of been having painted in 1610 from Naples Caravaggio's departure and themodeUing of the Baptist's body and melancholy mood fitweU with that idea then either canvas the was completed or reworked by another hand, or during his final into could both Caravaggio lapse natu into his more carelessness and sUp back months raUsticRoman penchant style (that he had a paraUel to re-use earUer designs is evident). The descriptive modelling of the elaborate armour in theMartyrdom ofSt Ursula (Fig.83) as the latter alternative, support might the unsettling effects of a troubled mind. half of the twenty-two paintings Nearly canvases. are Even big, multi-figured granting could over four this is an impressive output phase, an artist who to resettle six had years from times in five different cities and spent a month It is no that therefore, surprise, of only a smaU number of securely an documented lost works exception being in prison. know we scenes the four of the Passion was a 'Cristo portacroce', ? document and a now-lost from are Problems reaction learn that new hardly of essay on the history of the critical late style could have to Caravaggio's its scope, just widened as we ever convincing. and attribution, chronology receive most in the cata attention attributions patronage logue. An that Caravaggio di Giacomo, one agreed to paint forNiccol? of which period'. face and finicky foUage in Caravaggio's the Baptist's unparaUeled to mention less thatCaravaggio painted quickly during his last as a close of analysis Susinno's Life of thepainterwould have been welcome. the on there is nothing broadly, of Caravaggio's late art nor is a reconsideration of received ideas, as More influence there PhiUp Sohm provided in his exceUent, but Deaths'.3 uncited, study 'Caravaggio's was Another missed opportunity sideration of economic data, the con scant as they are for thisperiod ofCaravaggio's life.Niccol? Giacomo's payment 'Cristo portacroce' documented price di of 46 onze in 1609 for the as the is significant only a for painting by Cara vaggio after 1607. (Tradition has it that the painter received THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE This content downloaded from 129.2.19.102 on Sun, 24 May 2015 16:20:33 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 1,000 scudi CXLVII apiece for two of FEBRUARY 2005 14^ REVIEWS EXHIBITION (no.6) possibly painted in two S. Domenico 1606 campaigns, as 1609?10, Bologna are the And what and contends? questionably dates of the beautiful Salome with thehead of the Baptist from Madrid (no. 13) and the Annunciation from Nancy (no. 15)? For the presentwriter they should be dated 1606-07 and C.1608 respectively, although it is doubt ful ifwhat we now see in the lower half of the Annunciation is from Caravaggio's brush. are to be of the exhibition organisers of a for recognising the virtue commended The tighdy focused project and for including only and five early 'new proposals' (nos.20-24) of lost works these ten (nos.25?28); five 'copies' not be exhibited in London. pictures w?l of the new None Indeed, vincing. is con however, proposals, and the Ecce Homo (no.22) Salome with thehead of theBaptist (no.23) are so implausible that their attribution seriously their undermines as authority proponents' on experts Caravaggio. Far more is the status of the St Fran subde cis in prayer from Carpinetto that of the arguably Romano versus S. Maria deUa Concezione, not on view. This (no.20) in repUca which was better Rome, writer that the stiff beUeves fabrics and poorly drawn hand and skuU of 83.Martyrdom ofSt Ursula, by Caravaggio. exh. National GaUery, London). the 1610. 143 by 180 cm. (Banca Intesa,Naples; version former reveal it to be a copy skuU in the (compare the superblymodeUed St Francis of tech from Cremona), regardless in its favour. the arguments Surprisingly, was not in Florence much-debated Toothpuller to authen its serious claim exhibited despite nical his are the data but Sic?y, of about the equivalent a sum to the sim?ar scudi, in altarpieces was That insecure.) one hundred feesCaravaggio commanded forhis Sacrificeof Isaac in 1603 (GaUerie degU Uffizi, Florence) and an unspecified picture forCiriaco Mattei in 1602, probably the St John the Baptist (Musei CapitoUni, Rome). It is less than the 125 scudi he was paid for the Taking ofChrist of of Ireland, (National GaUery the 150 scudi for the National at Emmaus of 1601. Of course Supper no forms payment pattern, nor does 1602-03 or DubUn) GaUery's a single one know the size ofNiccol? canvas. But four figures, the having that, is suggestive demand for Bologna and writings there might art, in its price. to the catalogue introduction long Ferdinando as described presumed post-Roman Utde increase A di Giacomo's it was the payment despite Caravaggio's have been earUer that given by his repeats is peppered generaUy regrettably with petty infightingwith his rivals. Much more are substantial on the essays Caravaggio in Naples (by Antonio Ernesto Denuzio), Malta (the richest of the group, by Keith and Sciberras David (by Gioacchino Messina teUa Spagnolo) and Stone), Syracuse Barbera and Dona (by Vincenzo and Palermo A st?l larger team of scholars wrote Abbate). the individual entries. Given the surfeit of on Uterature state of I42 although sensitive smaU for aU of the they summarise it than expand rather some offer provocative artist, knowledge significandy, ideas and include the criticism. iUustrations the paintings FEBRUARY 2005 and assigned CXLVII Appendixes data summary to Caravag as weU as registers of docu to purported early references are but works, ly autograph they incomplete and seem to have been hastily put together. gio's ments The the late years, and other colour for many Any pubUcations in quaUty. are uneven plates comparative hope in of the come not does catalogue's design standard of Electa figures are ticity, which to up and missing.4 in Naples gaUeries chronology in the catalogue thwarted by the absence to essay devoted Caravaggio's technique of a pathetic Roman picture. The Caravaggio of an and to the condition of the paintings,which is often poor; nor did the low level of Ughting help. Repainted or abraded surfaces lacking their final layers cannot be compared with those that are weU-preserved but photographs in good condition. altarpiece The in Sic?y was the reviewer's (and of seeing the original) memory it can be to form how misleading emphasise a view of late style from the other especiaUy from the glorious Caravaggio's altarpieces, only stolen, distant Sic?ian wreck of the Burial ofSt Lucy (no.io; Naples only; or from Fig. 8 2) other theBorghese David St Andrew (no.5). the dates TeUingly, are the most early thin passages, such as in (no. 16) and Crucifixionof of the latter two works was disputed: as c. 1605?06 inRome David painted or (more Ukely) as as late as 1610 inNaples? Does the Crucifixion of St Andrew belong to the first or second NeapoUtan period? Although the saint'sbody a late work because con of its abraded impUes the better-preserved soldier in armour dition, to the first is a more reUable gauge and points Was from the Flagellation NeapoUtan phase. tested been pre a lost original reaUy records it looks Uke a weak spin-off, of Caravaggio's superb parody Holofernes of 1607. was have (no.26) its Captions resolving questions should cisely in this context.With regard to the five 'copieantiche', it is questionable ifJudith and Instead, industry at Incredibly, slackening. exhibitions work are of Caravaggio the planning in shows least and no sign of three more his stage, foUowers' the most dubious ofwhich wiU focus on the supposed serve some itw?l autograph repUcas. Perhaps if only to clear the air of so many bad purpose, to a great, rare master. attributions 1 exhibition was organised by the Soprintendenza theNational GaUery, London, and theMet of Art, New York, which gracious ropoUtan Museum lywithdrew from the project when difficulties arose in The of Naples, securing loans for aU three venues. 2 Catalogue: Caravaggio: Ultimo tempo, 1606-1610. Edit contributions ed by Nicola by Spinosa, with Spinosa, Ferdinando Bologna, Antonio Ernesto Denunzio, Keith Sciberras, David M. Stone, Gioacchino Barbera, DonateUa Spagnuolo and Vincenzo Abbate. 192 pp. incl. 50 col. pis. + 85 b. & w. ills. (Electa Napoli, Nicola 35. ISBN 88-510-0223-1. 2004), EngUsh Naples, edition: Caravaggio: thefinal years. ?40 (HB). ISBN 88-510-0277-0; ?25 (PB). ISBN 88-510-0264-9. * P. Sohm: 'Caravaggio's Deaths', Art Bulletin 84 (2002), pp.449-68. 4 By contrast, the exhibition's rich website, www. is expertly planned and at caravaggioultimotempo.it, the forefront of itsgenre, containing extensive practical information, a checkUst of the paintings, a gaUery of images and the complete text of the catalogue's preface by Nicola THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE This content downloaded from 129.2.19.102 on Sun, 24 May 2015 16:20:33 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Spinosa.