Stefano Zuffi

Philippe Daverio

How is it possible that an artist who lived over four centuries ago is still seen today as an icon of modernity? The answer must be sought in his works; this is where we will grasp Caravaggio's aesthetic pursuit. His is a simple, non ideal, art. He observed without prejudice, hewing close to the truth of things. And in just under twenty years he transformed painting, instilling in it a strong penchant for realism and showing the way to a very innovative use of light. In short, his was a revolutionary art, one which continues to fascinate laypeople and experts alike to this day. The curators of the exhibition, which will take place in Rome in the spring of 2010, asked some of the world's preeminent Caravaggio scholars to share their feeling and insights about their favorite works by the artist. The result is an original catalogue of great rigor yet expressed in deeply human and richly subjective tones. The works are from museums all over the world and include Saint John the Baptist from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; and the Musicians from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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