Caravaggio and his legacy

About

Caravaggio was one of the most dynamic and influential artists of all time, famed for his dramatic lighting, powerful realism, and revolutionary approach to storytelling.

This one-day course examines Caravaggio’s work and its impact on the art of his contemporaries and followers, both in Italy and further afield.

Programme

11am–1pm

The morning session explores Caravaggio’s life and works, from early Lombard influences and his training under Simone Peterzano, to his meteoric rise to fame in Rome; his dramatic fall from grace following the murder of Ranuccio Tomassoni in May 1606; and the subsequent four years spent on the run in Sicily, Malta, and Naples.

Caravaggio’s paintings in the National Gallery will be used to structure the talk, which focuses on the various stages of his career.

1–2pm Lunch

2–3pm

The afternoon session considers Caravaggio’s influence with a special focus on the Utrecht Caravaggisti of the 17th century. We also examine the fascinating detective story leading to the rediscovery of Caravaggio’s 'Taking of Christ' in Dublin, for many years attributed to Gerard van Honthorst.