Caravaggio and the Creation of Modernity

The great baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio revolutionized painting by creating a new form of realistic art. His work depicted life directly, without sketches, resulting in a powerful psychological expression in his subjects. Caravaggio’s unconventional paintings have sparked debates among critics and viewers for centuries, while influencing subsequent artists like Velázquez and Rembrandt. In this fresh exploration of Caravaggio’s life and art, now available in paperback, Troy Thomas examines the artist’s significant contribution to modernity and focuses on the often-overlooked tensions, contradictions and ambiguities in Caravaggio’s work.

"This book is carefully designed as a forceful and concise statement on the artist's innovations. . . . There's much more to say about this excellent book and Thomas offers daring interpretations on almost every page. . . . Moments such as these underline both Thomas's skill as a historian and Caravaggio's towering genius."-- "PopMatters" "This is not a typical chronological overview of the artist's life or a catalog of his works. Rather, the book is thematically conceived: seventeen brief chapters (plus an introduction and conclusion) group Caravaggio's works by time and place while emphasizing broad themes such as spirituality, ambiguity, darkness and light, reception, and other relevant topics. This clever format allows Troy to continually circle back to previously discussed paintings but under different terms. Also valuable are the images of works by other artists, presented along with those of Caravaggio's paintings, which allow the reader examine the artist in relation to his peers. Overall, this affordable book is a fitting complement to more traditional studies; it will help the reader better understand Caravaggio's importance to artistic modernity and the history of art in general. Recommended."-- "Choice" "This richly illustrated volume, organized both chronologically and thematically, is a comprehensive examination of the life and career of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio [who] is often celebrated for his use of realism and tenebrism. However, this book has effectively demonstrated that one must look beyond heightened naturalism and pronounced chiaroscuro to fully appreciate the ground-breaking work that Caravaggio produced during his short and turbulent career. Highlighting compositional opposition and ambiguity in Caravaggio's work has allowed Thomas to shed light on the artist's ingenuity and sustained influence. This book is both well written and well documented, and is an excellent read for those looking to broaden their understanding of Michelangelo Merisi as a man, as a master painter, and a revolutionary whose personal manner of making intellectually and sensually engaging art helped lay the foundation for painting in the modern age."--Jennifer Strtak, Yale University "Renaissance and Reformation" "Thomas is at his best when emphasizing Caravaggio's artifice, the extent to which he went beyond the mere transcription of nature, and in analyzing the ways in which his works provoked an unprecedented visual and intellectual engagement with the viewer. . . . His discussion of the art market and of Caravaggio's role in cultivating a new audience of private collectors in Rome, who prized artistic freedom, novelty, and sophistication, is also valuable."-- "Sixteenth Century Journal" "Thomas presents an insightful, well written overview of the life and art of this fascinating painter. His examination of Caravaggio's

Troy Thomas is associate professor of humanities and art history at The Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg.