Caravaggio: 1571-1610

It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that Caravaggio (1571-1610), an Italian painter long considered controversial, was rediscovered. An advocate of Realism, this artist of the Counter-Reformation challenged the establishment and returned a sense of humanity to the images of the saints. The sensuality he gave the saints went beyond veneration to create an ambiguous eroticism, which incurred the wrath of the Church. Paradoxical and violent, this painter of shadows illustrated his debauched lifestyle and dissolute morals with solemnity. With his invention of chiaroscuro, Caravaggio made his blood-soaked impression on the history of art. Bringing together the different writing styles of Felix Witting (Professor of Art History) and M. L. Patrizi (Doctor of Psychology), this text sheds new light on the work of Caravaggio, who could not be better served than by these great specialists."

As a professor of Art History, specialising in the Baroque, Felix Witting taught for many years before devoting himself exclusively to research and writing. His passion for Caravaggio s work, and for the man himself, can be easily perceived in this remarkable monograph. As a doctor of Psychology, M. L. Patrizi has always been interested in criminal profi les.A lover of Art History, the author could not help but be intrigued by Caravaggio s personality and oeuvre. Violent, fragile, but above all incredibly gifted, Caravaggio became M. L. Patrizi s favourite subject.＂