In this essay I will be analysing the painting ‘The Entombment of Christ.’ I chose this painting as it stood out to me more than the other two options. I think this was because it is an image that I would know the story behind due to learning religion throughout school unlike the other two art pieces. It was also clear to see that there was a lot of meaning behind it.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was born in 1571 near Milan, Italy. (Caravaggio: Italian Baroque Painter, Founder of Caravaggism, 2021) He was an Italian painter who was well known for the intense and disturbing realism of his wide range of religious art works. (Caravaggio | Italian painter, 2021)
Caravaggio created the Entombment of Christ, which is a medium oil painting on canvas. This painting is a religious and historical painting and is considered to be one of the ‘greatest paintings ever.’ This painting is located in Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome. (The Entombment of Christ, Caravaggio: Analysis, 2021) September 1604 is when it is known that Caravaggio presented The Entombment of Christ, which was commissioned by Girolamo Vittrice for the main altar of his family chapel in the Roman church of Santa Maria in Vallicella. (The invited work: The Entombment of Christ, Caravaggio - Exhibition - Museo Nacional del Prado, 2021)
Michelangelo Caravaggio devoted his whole life to painting, being active in Sicily, Malta, Naples and Rome. In each of Caravaggio’s paintings, he demonstrates a combination of both emotional and physical elements which makes his paintings fascinating and memorable to the public. Like in many of Caravaggio’s other paintings, there is dramatic use of lighting evident in The Entombment of Christ. (The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio, 2021) Caravaggio was described as being ‘arrogant, rebellious and a murderer’ during his life. His short and reckless life matched his work. Caravaggio's paintings were controversial, popular, and highly influential in succeeding generations of painters all over Europe. Caravaggio was keen to study the classical buildings and famous works of art which led him in to move to Rome in 1592 at the age of 21. For Caravaggio he struggled throughout his first few years. He started out specialising in still-life of fruits and flowers and later turned to half-length figures which he sold in the street. However, in 1595, his luck changed. His talent for painting was recognised by Francesco del Monte, a cardinal and Caravaggio was invited into his household. (The National Gallery, 2021)
The Entombment of Christ is a ‘Baroque painting’ which across Europe reflects the political and cultural changes. (Baroque Painting: History, Characteristics, Styles, 2021) The Baroque period started during the 16th century with the Reformation and the Counter Reformation being very significant events of this era. (The Baroque Period | Boundless Art History, 2021) From learning about the Reformation in school I know that it was an important movement by Martin Luther King which caused a divide in Christianity – into Roman Catholic and Protestantism.
In art criticism the word Baroque described anything out of the ordinary, anything bizarre, unusual or far from established rules and proportions. (Baroque art and architecture | Definition, Characteristics, Artists, History,