Two men stand within a tennis court. One serves the ball hastily over the net until it bounces out of bounds. His opponent grimaces, wipes the sweat from his brow and reaches beneath to reveal a sword.
He wounds his playmate and quickly flees, leaving spectators astonished and puzzled. This man, characterized by his fiery and aggressive temperament, is the 17th century painter Caravaggio.
One of the most profound religious artists of ancient Italy, Caravaggio portrayed society through depictions of violence and sexuality, Dr. John Varriano said at a lecture on Nov. 18.’ ‘
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Varriano, a professor of art history at Mt. Holyoke College, dedicates a large portion of his studies to this Italian art icon whose animosity appeals to the masses.
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‘Caravaggio always draws a crowd,’ he said. ‘The way he ‘fled by the seat of his pants’ really attracts young people.’
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In 17th century Italy, violence was not a cause of discomfort but rather entertaining commonplace. Between the years of 1592 and 1606, there were 658 public executions in Rome alone, Varriano said.
This apparent hostility in society gave Italian painters the choice to either lighten the clear violence that surrounded them or provide the people with an un-forgiving mirror. Caravaggio without a doubt chose the latter.
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One of the most interesting characteristics of his painting style, Varriano said, was his choice to often include an image of himself in his art, though he actually signed only one of his pieces. In a painting of a mob witnessing a tragedy, Caravaggio would be the nearly invisible man wrapped in a cloak, only showing his true-to-life indifferent facial expression concerning death.
‘ In a painting depicting the biblical pair of David and Goliath, Caravaggio chose to use not Goliath’s head in the hands of David, but his own, Varriano said. It is also debated that the image of David is actually a portrait of Caravaggio’s male lover, showing his ambiguity in sexual preference.
Though Caravaggio’s violent art is often said to be merely a byproduct of a man’s’ ‘ explosive personality and socially rebellious nature, Varriano said this was not his only influence.
‘The artist always kept true to life,’ Varriano said, ‘violence permeated through their everyday experiences.’
Audience member Kieran Davies ’11 was intrigued by Varriano’s points and felt rather disappointed that Caravaggio’s personal life was neglected from her art history classes in high school.
‘I had no idea that his personality had an effect on his painting style,’ Davies said, ‘I think it would have helped me understand his work better.’
Rosanna Corvino ’11 agreed. ‘I think art history becomes so much more interesting when you talk about the artist as a person,’ she said, ‘Dr. Varriano made art history interesting to a business major, so I think he accomplished what he came for.” ‘ ‘
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