Caravaggio & His Followers
Summary
Rarely has an artist had such an impact on later generations as Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, after the town near Milan where he was raised. Orphaned by 13, Caravaggio was a tortured genius known as much for his pioneering art as for his personal life and destructive temperament, which saw him imprisoned on many occasions, culminating in the murder of Ranuccio Tomassoni in Rome in 1606. His skill as a painter was extraordinary and had a huge impact on the art of the two decades after his death in 1610. He transformed chiaroscuro into dramatic tenebrism, his characters theatrically being illuminated by rays of light. What made him revolutionary, though was his radical naturalism which saw him paint people in graphic detail, allowing him to offer rare psychological insights. This tour explores this extraordinary painter both in Rome, where he made his name, and in Naples where he had a huge influence on the art of the city. We’ll also see some of Caravaggio's most spectacular paintings, including his only wall painting in the Casino Ludovisi and the famous pictures of St. Matthew in San Luigi dei Francesi and the Martyrdom of St. Ursula, thought to be the artist's last work. Explore the works of artists he befriended and inspired, such as Orazio Gentileschi and his famous daughter Artemisia, as well as Mattia Preti, the talented Sicilian whose paintings seem to take off from where Caravaggio left off; in the words Italian art historian Vittorio Sgarbi Caravaggio is like a diamond and no one knew that better than Preti. This trip to two stunning Italian cities will enlighten you about the troubled genius that is Caravaggio, retracing the steps of his wanderings and adventures in both cities.
Tour highlights:
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Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Expert Guide Lecturer
- Professional Tour Manager
- Local travel aboard a private air-conditioned coach
- Meals as per the itinerary, wine and tea or coffee with dinner
- Accommodation
- All taxes & gratuities
- Field notes