Baroque master, career criminal and tortured artist Caravaggio was certainly a jack of all trades, though better remembered for some over others. Down to the grittiest details, his life is chronicled by Italian art historian Rosella Vodret in Caravaggio 1571–1610. Silvana Editoriale released the expansive art book containing premium print transfers of Caravaggio’s dramatic illustrations alongside forensic information regarding the paintings by scholar Claudio Falcucci. Accompanied by a bio-history by Vodret, emerging details about the artist's tumultuous life are brought to life in the most updated account of his lifetime.

Born in Milan under the name of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, recognized more commonly as simply Caravaggio, his turbulent background in conjunction with his distinctive work is an art historian’s dream come true. In just 14 years, Caravaggio revolutionized the concept of painting by way of chiaroscuro, a technique that relies on a heightened sense of realism through the stark contrast between light and dark. In the midst of a crime-riddled life, Caravaggio engaged in lucrative commissions that defined his career as an artist, before succumbing to the increasingly dangerous nature of his life outside of the studio.

Deemed Rome’s most famous painter from the years of 1600 to 1606, Caravaggio’s earlier pieces included commissions for the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi and Cardinal Francesca Maria del Monte. A fresh analysis of some of Caravaggio’s most recognized pieces such as The Entombment of Christ, Young Sick Bacchus and The Calling of Saint Matthew delve into the semiotics and symbolic representations within each sequence.

This invaluable record of Caravaggio’s life is nothing short of authentic, down to the validation of all prints contained in the monograph, as counterfeit works run rampant. Having lived a life filled to the brim with lore, scandals and a burning passion for artistry, Vodret documents the legendary art classicist that left an indelible mark on his medium.