Caravaggio works to go on display in the capital
The Museum of Cycladic Art is set to feature one of history’s most innovative artists who changed art with his «heretical» depictions, his extraordinary shadings and his explosive character. «Caravaggio and the 17th Century» will open at the Museum of Cycladic Art tomorrow, as part of celebrations for the museum’s 20th birthday. The exhibition features three works by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, which are displayed alongside works created by his students, artists who copied him and his competitors. Visitors will therefore have the opportunity to see how the artist greatly influenced art in his era and how his works fascinated his contemporaries, although some people considered them blasphemous and vulgar. The exhibition, which falls under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic, is taking place in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Athens. Caravaggio’s works come to Greece following the recent opening of the exhibition of Cycladic figurines in Italy, inaugurated by Greek President Karolos Papoulias. It should be noted that one of these three works, «The Raising of Lazarus» (380x275cm), which dates to 1608-1609, has very rarely been taken out of the Museo Nazionale in Messina in Sicily, where it is housed, because of its size. The other two paintings that will travel to Greece are «St John the Baptist» (132×98.5cm), which dates to between 1600 and 1650 and is permanently on display at Rome’s Musei Capitolini, as well as «Magdalene in Sorrow» (112x92cm, dating to 1605-06). «This is the first time that we have the opportunity to see Caravaggio’s works in Greece, except for an exhibition that took place in Thessaloniki when it was Cultural Capital in 1997,» said museum director Nikos Stambolidis to Kathimerini. «What is most important in this display,» he added, «is that apart from the great artist’s paintings, the public will also see creations by artists who were either influenced by his work – the so-called Caravaggisti – or decided to go down an entirely different path. In Athens we will see a compilation of 17th century works which will give us a better understanding of Caravaggio’s spirit. Caravaggio left his mark because of the unique way he painted, which was daring and extremely innovative, and he used shadings a lot to breathe life into his paintings.» A large number of followers, pupils, competitors and particularly skillful imitators copied his techniques and designs. Caravaggio’s beautiful, introverted and fascinating figures, as well as the visual effect of the powerful contradiction of light and shade, cast a spell on his contemporaries, who took a cue from him and created new works. The Museum of Cycladic Art’s exhibition will also feature works by Innocenzo Tacconi, Dirck van Baburen, Gerrit van Honthorst, Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, Jusepe de Ribera, Francesco Guarino, Andrea Sacchi and others. It will run to June 30.
