Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s life was turbulent and short. He was only in his late thirties when he died and yet he managed to achieve tremendous artistic success. A native of Caravaggio, near Milan, he was born in 1571 and moved to Rome after training with Simone Peterzano, a pupil of Titian. In the papal city, his talent was recognized by the influential collector and art connoisseur Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, who promoted his art. Within a few years Caravaggio became one of the most sought-after painters in Italy and abroad. His style was so striking and unique that artists from all over adopted it as their own.

Caravaggio: A Reference Guide to His Life and Works focuses on his life, his works, and legacy. It features a chronology, an introduction offers a brief account of his life, a cross-referenced dictionary section contains entries on his individual paintings, public commissions his patrons, his followers, and the techniques he used in rendering his works.

Author Biography

Lilian H. Zirpolo is the author of a number of books and articles on Renaissance and Baroque art. These include The Historical Dictionary of Renaissance Art, The Historical Dictionary of Barque Art and Architecture, and Michelangelo: A Reference Guide to His Life and Works. Her interests are on art patronage and collecting, deformities and disabilities in art, and textile history. Her articles and book reviews have been published in venues such as the Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Architectura: Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Baukunkst, Drawing, The Woman’s Art Journal, Seventeenth Century Journal, Augustinian Studies, Art History, Renaissance Quarterly, and Explorations in Renaissance Culture.