Die Bibel des Caravaggio: Bilder aus dem Alten und Neuen Testament

by Mario Dal Bello

English summary: Is there such a thing as a bible "according to Caravaggio"? After all, an examination of the artist's complete body of work reveals a worldly and deeply human interpretation of the Holy Scripture as a whole and of the gospels in particular. German description: Gibt es eine Bibel nach Caravaggio? Allerdings, wenn man das Gesamtwerk des Kunstlers in Betracht zieht: Man entdeckt darin eine weltliche, zutiefst menschliche Deutung der Heiligen Schrift im Allgemeinen und des Evangeliums im Besonderen.

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2015

Reviews

[Bert van der Vaart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caravaggio is a justly well-known painter, developing the art of chiaroscuro/revealed light to extraordinary effect. But I knew relatively little about his turbulent life--one spent alternating between pubs and brawls--including fights to the death and even the artist's joining for a time the Knights of Malta. What is remarkable--and Dal Bello does a pretty good job describing it--is Caravaggio's understanding of many Biblical events, and his bringing them to an authentic and relevant light. Caravaggio brings these events for the most part in scenes where everyday laborers, foppish counts and Venetian soldiers play prominent roles, and by contrasting Christ or Joseph or David against such every day people. The beautiful paintings thereby exhibit what appears to be an eternal truth, as the facial expressions of all concerned--including perhaps most especially the God became man that is Jesus--is so very familiar to us as humans. My only quibble is that the author often contrasts the beautiful plates in the book with paintings either Caravaggio or another artist did earlier or contemporaneously. I had to dart between the internet and the book to get what Dal Bello was meaning. But I think the book is well worth it, and Caravaggio has become only that much more mysterious.

[El Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dal Bello is out here acting like Caravaggio couldn't be simultaneously a Catholic and an absolute menace. He had layers my guy.

[Kristīne Līcis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I credit this book for my growing fascination with Caravaggio. It might be a niche subject - discussion of paintings with scenes from the Old and New Testament covering [only] 18 pieces of Caravaggio's work - but something tells me it is precisely these works where the chiaroscuro, the compositions with dramatic empty spaces, the "extraordinary tension" are at their strongest. Also, where his "realism" is so controversial, as there is nothing idealized in the relay of the Gospel narratives, many models are real people, therefore "[w]hat emerges and resonates is a dimension of truth, for the holy scenes are close to the people and thus authentic." Add the autobiographical elements of the paintings that the book highlights, and the result is truly fascinating.

"Light is undoubtedly the most effective medium used by the artist to "disturb" the conscience."