I was orphaned at the age of 11 and subsequently spent four years as apprentice to Simone Peterzano in Milan before going to Rome in 1593, where I was employed my the Mannerist painter Giuseppe Cesari, for whom I painted fruit and flower pieces. My years with Giuseppe allowed me to develop my style as a realist and, I attempted to paint what was actually there in front of me, not what someone thought should be there. Its like I've said before, "It takes as much hard work to do flowers as it does a human figure." This job wasn't the most economically sound however, I moved into a cosmopolitan society called Campo Marzio. This wasn't a nice place to live, it was a decaying neighbourhood of inns, eating houses, temporary shelters, it was appalling, I was virtually without means. At this point in my life I felt hopeless, I was in utter despair, I moved from one unsatisfactory employment to another, the cycle seemed endless. Finally, in 1595 I was at my wits end and I decided that I would try freelance work. I began to paint compositions of my own decisions. I wanted to concentrate on painting common subjects, I often used young men from the street as models for my work. With such a resource at hand, why look to biblical fi
. . .
John was the patron saint of the knights of Malta, and of the Cathedral. I wanted a simple composition where emphasis would be placed on the decapitation itself. Caravaggio collapsed at the site of the departing boat, it seems that he could no longer bare the misfortune and exhaustion as he died of malaria a few days later. From the centre of the warden's finger, the action fans out - to the executioner's left hand, holding Saint John's partially severed head in place like a butcher in an "abattoir" while he reaches with his right for his dagger to finish the process off neatly; to the platter, held low by Salome in anticipation of receiving the head; to the horrified old woman. The latter resulted in a second arrest, and a subsequent arrest due to a "misuse of arms". I created the illusion of a dense atmosphere, and with a single spot-light source, illuminated the focal matter. I assumed that yet again the Roman authorities wouldn't be please with my actions and, I fled to Naples after staying with a relative in early 1607. A moment before he was a seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking human being like the others; now he is reduced to a mere fleshly carcass. However, this prosperity didn't go undisturbed. I remained in Naples for a while, completed a few works and lived in peace. On July 14, 1608, I was received into the order of Malta as "Knight of Justice"; soon afterward however news of my crimes in Rome must have arrived at Malta as I was expelled from the order and imprisoned. However, I was arrested by mistake and, detained in prison. I killed him over a tennis score dispute.
Approximate Word count =
948
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