artists-journal


 * Journal Entry #1**

Ciao! Michelangelo Merisi here, the world famous (or as some would argue, infamous) artist! You may know me better as Caravaggio, the name I have taken from the town in which I was born. I didn't stay there for long, though! Rome was the centre of all the action for artists in 1592 when I turned 21, so I moved there to make a name for myself. I will admit that the first few years were tough, but thanks to my connections with an art shop, I was able to gain a very valuable patronage; Cardinal Franceso del Monte took me into is home and funded my work. He really launched my career! After this, things really were looking up for me! If it wasn’t for generous patrons who really understand excellent art, I would still be homeless on the dirty streets of Rome. My host tells me that in the 21st century, art is always the first to get cuts for funding. The gallery right here in Toronto is just one of the places that won’t be receiving as much money with Ontario’s new budget. You can read all about this [|here]. Rome may have been a dangerous place, full of crime and poverty during the late 16th-early 17th century while I was living there, but it was a centre for true creativity. It will be a tragedy if this is lost in these strange modern times.

Many of you may be shocked or disturbed by the violent subject matter in my work. I remember people were particularly outraged when I used the corpse of a dead prostitute as a model for //Death of the Virgin//. Let me explain myself; I have always had a tendency towards violence. It is part of my nature. Many have accused me of having no decorum, for letting myself be distracted from my work with constant aggression. I do regret the violence in my life, for it has brought me a bad name. It is true that I have been arrested many times, but most of these times it wasn’t my fault! For instance, a waiter once served me a plate of artichokes with a cheese sauce instead of olive oil, a racial insult if there ever was one! I had no choice but to react. Perhaps I have made a few errors in judgement over the years, especially when I killed Ranuccio Tomassoni. I won’t pretend I liked the man; we have always been enemies. I didn't really mean for him to die, however, and as a result of his accidental death, I was on the run for the rest of my life. After that moment, whenever I painted a severed head, a recurring theme in my work, I knew that that would be my fate if I was ever caught.


 * Journal Entry #2**


 * I went on a trip to California with (host) and her family, although I did not go shopping in California I had a marvelous time observing this new culture that has taken the place of the one I used to live in. Using this relaxation time I was able to reflect on my past life as an artist. One could say I was a trouble maker for I frequently ran into trouble with the law for a variety of different crimes. It seems as though I was fascinated with the mental thoughts of a criminal and that I was always willing to pick a fight. As I look back on my art work that captured the greater themes of my life I would have to say that Medusa, 1597 was one that captured a darker time in my life. It is true that I used my own facial features on Medusa, I did this to portray my emotions and what I thought of myself at the time. (Host) mentioned that in Art class they use mirrors to carefully examine their own facial features. Like Bernini I as well used this technique it helped me to portray realism better.**

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 * (Host's name) and I had time to discuss technique today, she tells me that her and I are quite different for I am more flamboyant and free caring with my work and she is more timid and safe with hers. When I painted I painted right on the canvas without any preliminary drawings perhaps this is because of my rushed life that I spent moving a lot, hiding in different places from the law. My art work portrays my self destructive life style and how I became a great influence to artists all over Europe starting from nothing but raw interest and talent. The video (host) found for me on YouTube shows some of my work.**

1. 'Saint Jerome Writing' 1605 Oil on Canvas 2. 'Saint Jerome in Meditation' 1605 Oil on Canvas 3. 'Annunciation' 1609 Oil on Canvas 4. 'Adoration of the Shepherds' 1609 Oil on Canvas 5/6. 'Rest on the Flight into Egypt' 1597 Oil on Canvas 7. 'Madonna and Child with Saint Anne' 1606 Oil on Canvas 8. 'Madonna of Loreto' 1604 Oil on Canvas 9. 'John the Baptist' 1610 Oil on Canvas 10. 'John the Baptist' 1604 Oil on Canvas 11. 'Beheading of Saint John the Baptist' 1608 Oil on Canvas 12. 'Salome with the head of John the Baptist' 1607 Oil on Canvas 13. 'Raising of Lazarus' 1609 Oil on Canvas 14. 'Supper at Emaus' 1606 Oil on Canvas 15. 'Supper at Emaus' 1602 Oil on Canvas 16. 'Taking of Christ' 1602 Oil on Canvas 17. 'Crowning with Thorns' 1607 Oil on Canvas 18. 'Flagellation of Christ' 1607 Oil on Canvas 19. 'Ecce Homo' 1605 Oil on Canvas 20. 'Entombment' 1603 Oil on Canvas


 * Journal Entry #3**


 * Although (host's name) was not so excited for school to start up again I must admit that I was overjoyed when the day came. So far today has been my favorite because she brought me to art class. There were posters on the wall of something they now call art. It is fantastic how over time many artists like myself have changed the way people think and act through art. It is fascinating how different circumstances can drive people to see the world differently. In my case I believe that my fight with the law helped me to see the world through a different pair of eyes. it inspired my artwork with dark details. For example, in my painting 'Boy with a Basket of Fruit' (c. 1594) there are many hints into my life. Like a diary I have included my concern with time in the wilting leaf and the brownish, yellow fruit that looks as if it is dying. A quality of the Baroque period was painting a figure against a plain background. My artwork would not have been the same if my life was not the same for i believe that an artists work is a reflection of himself. In 'Medusa' (c. 1597) I have shown this to the extreme where I have used my own facial features as Medusas. In 'The Calling of St. Matthew' ((1599-1600) I have taken inspiration from Michelangelo's 'Creation of Adam' (c. 1510) where Christ is pointing to Matthew down with a beam of light as if trying to pull him away from the sins of gambling. I am very famous in the Baroque period for my use of tenebrism, I used light and shadow to portray dramatic effect also shown in 'The Calling of Matthew.'**