Volume 3: Caravaggio’s Light, Darkness, and Last Works in Rome with Dr. Sara Magister

Join a Caravaggio author and art historian for an in-depth examination of the later works of Caravaggio and his ultimate decline and downfall.

Early Baroque painter, Michelangelo Merisi (1573-1610), better known as Caravaggio, left an indelible mark on the world of art—especially in Rome, which fortunately contains a large selection of his works. In this conversation, we’ll discuss Caravaggio’s final years in Rome, between the peak of his success and the darkness of his life. The fake and the truth of his rejected works and his amazing Madonnas, Saints, and Judith.

We’ll virtually get into the Roman galleries to view paintings that he made for important aristocrats and cardinals, focusing mainly on the biblical subjects of Judith, Jerome, and St John the Baptist. We’ll then discuss his other Roman amazing canvas, such as the Cerasi’s canvas, the Deposition of Christ in the Sepulcher, and the Madonnas, distinguishing truth from false in the rumors about their rejections and exploring their deeper meaning. We’ll evaluate the reasons and consequences on the life of an artist who made many human mistakes yet never failed when creating art.

Led by art historian, professor, and published Caravaggio author Sara Magister, this interactive discussion will unpick a curated selection of Caravaggio’s works and concentrate on his later years. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with a better understanding of this formidable figure and the importance of his works still today.

This conversation is the third in a four-part series. Each seminar can be joined independently and in any order.
Volume 1: Caravaggio’s Early Years
Volume 2: Caravaggio & his St. Matthew Paintings
Volume 3: Caravaggio’s Light, Darkness, and Last Works in Rome
Volume 4: Caravaggio’s Flight