 |
 |
|
Detail of the angel
Caravaggio's Martyrdom of St. Matthew
|
The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew is a painting created by
the Italian master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in 1599-1600.
It is located in the Contarelli Chapel of the French congregation
San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome along with the paintings, The Calling
of Saint Matthew and the Inspiration of Saint Matthew. The later
two paintings were also created by Caravaggio.
The Martyrdom of St. Matthew was installed in the chapel in July,
1600. It portrays the martyrdom of Saint Matthew the Evangelist,
author of the Gospel of Matthew. Tradition tells us Saint Matthew
was killed on the order of the King of Ethiopia while celebrating
Mass. Legend has it that the king lusted after his own niece and
was rebuked by Matthew. The girl was a nun.
The Cardinal Contarelli had given explicit details of what the
painting should hold before his death several decades earlier.
He ordered the painting to portray St. Matthew's murder by a soldier
of the wicked king in front of suitable architecture and crowds
of onlookers showing appropriate emotion.
The commission of the Martyrdom of Saint Matthew is said to have
caused Caravaggio considerable difficulty. He had never painted
on such large a canvas or with so many figures. There were two
separate attempts made on the composition before the final majestic
piece of art hanging in the chapel today.
The first version of Caravaggio Martyrdom of St. Matthew, revealed
through ex-rays is o the Mannerist style. The second version depicts
Raphael as its model. Caravaggio used his personal style where
bodies were defined by light and darkness where backgrounds were
eliminated. The Martyrdom of St. Matthew caused a sensation which
catapulted Caravaggio into the most famous artist of Rome at this
time. The figure in the background of the painting, near left-center
behind the assassin is a self-portrait by Caravaggio.
The second painting hanging opposite the Martyrdom of St. Matthew
in the Contarelli Chapel is 'the Calling of St. Matthew'.
The Cardinal Contarelli left funds and specific instruction for
the decoration of a chapel based on the themes of his namesake.
But Cardinal Francesco Del Monte, Caravaggio's patron, intervened
to obtain Caravaggio's first major church commission.
The Calling of Saint Matthew derives from the Gospel of
Matthew. "Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the
custom house, and said to him, "Follow me", and Matthew
rose and followed him." (Matthew 9:9)
The commission for the 'The Calling of Matthew' and 'The Martyrdom
of Matthew' is dated as July 1599. While 'The Martyrdom' was mostly
likely begun first, it is reported 'The Calling' was completed
first. The final payment for the two paintings was made in July,
1600. At the altar between the two lateral paintings hangs 'The
Inspiration of Saint Matthew' completed in 1602.
In the third painting, 'The Inspiration of St. Matthew'
an angel appears seeming to interrupt or possibly to guide Saint
Matthew while he is writing.
 |
|
Calling of St. Matthew
by Caravaggio
|
 |
|
Inspiration of St. Matthew
by Caravaggio
|
|
