Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, 1610. Intesa Sanpaolo Collection, Gallerie d’Italia Naples
In 1610 the great baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio died in mysterious circumstances on his way back to Rome, the city he had fled four years earlier having committed murder. The intervening period had taken him to Naples, Sicily, Malta and back to Naples. Before his departure he completed one last painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula. This year The Last Caravaggio will be on loan to the National Gallery in London for a few months, where it will be exhibited alongside the Gallery’s own late painting, Salome Receives the Head of John the Baptist.
During this talk by Dr Richard Stemp, we will discover the similarities and differences between the two works and realise their significance in the development of Caravaggio’s style. We will also put them into the context of his brief but eventful life, and increasingly erratic travels. As his life progressed the darkness crept in – around the edges of his paintings, and his attitude to life.
The Last Caravaggio is on exhibition at the National Gallery from 18 April to 21 July 2024
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This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.