Caravaggio is one of the most famous painters in Italy. He is one of the founders and important founders of the Baroque style. He has a huge influence on Baroque art.
In addition, in his short stay in Naples led to the birth of the famous Neapolitan Caravaggisti school!
Later the Utrecht Caravaggisti group was also deeply influenced by Caravaggio's works!
When the painters of the Utrecht Caravaggisti group left Rome and returned to the north, they had an important influence on many famous painters in northern Europe.
In the history of European art, Caravaggio has a very important position and his oil paintings are praised and collected by countless people!
Some people even spoke highly of: "Caravaggio's work marked the beginning of modern painting!"
In the eyes of the famous painting critic Longhi, without Caravaggio, there would be no Ribera, Vermeer, La Tour and Rembrandt! Without him, Delacroix, Courbet and Manet would be completely different.
Bernard Berenson, an authority on Italian Renaissance art, also fully agrees with this statement.
He once commented on Caravaggio: "Except for Michelangelo, no Italian painter has such a big influence!"
Caravaggio's life was intoxicating, dangerous and full of enigmatic colors!
In Rome at the beginning of the seventeenth century, he was not only a well-known and highly respected artist, but also known as the savior of art! Also a very aggressive swordsman, gladiator, a complex of contradictions!
The earliest review of him was found in 1604 and that material describes his lifestyle about three years before.
"He only needs to do two weeks of work, he can wander across the sword for a month or two and the servants will follow, from one court to another, always ready to fight, so with him in a very embarrassing situation!"
It is this kind of combative character that made his artistic career very bumpy!
Even at the peak of his creative career, Caravaggio spent most of his time on the road to desperation.
In 1606, he killed a young man in a battle and was offered a reward for his head, so he had to flee Rome.
In 1608, he was involved in another fight in Malta and was thrown into prison by the Maltese authorities, but he successfully escaped from Malta and escaped to Sicily.
In 1609, there was another bloody battle in Naples. An unknown person swore to his hair to take his life and then escaped again!
In the end, Caravaggio completely involve himself in this dangerous and desperate life!
In 1610, after only a little more than ten years as a painter, Caravaggio passed away at the age of 39!
Although his career as a painter is very short, he has left many immortal works, shining brightly! It had an extremely profound impact on later European art!
The "Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence" in front of him was created in 1608, during the most difficult period of his life!
In this oil painting, the birth of Jesus is given a hazy atmosphere and the characters have solemn expressions, which are completely opposite to the paintings that extol the joy of the birth of Jesus.
And this is exactly what Caravaggio wants to express. He wants to express his concern about the future of mankind with more uncertain factors, just like his own situation and fate at the time!
In Caravaggio's painting, Christ and many sages became commoners.
They have bare bones, thick eyebrows, big eyes, shaggy beards and ragged clothes.
All the sages were painted like fishermen, farmers, workers and homeless people and he claimed to bring these lower classes into churches.
And he did this too and many of his works have been collected in the churchs for later generations!
After Caravaggio's death, this piece of "Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence" has been kept in the Oratory of Saint Lawrence in Palermo, Sicily, for people to admire and appreciate.
Until 1969, two thieves broke into this chapel and stole this famous painting!
For convenience, the two thieves cut the famous painting directly with a paper knife and leaved the frame!
In the decades that followed, this famous painting was like a ghost, there was no news!
However, there have been countless rumors circulating around this famous painting and this case in the past few decades.
Some people say that the Italian Mafia robbed this famous painting and due to careless protection of the painting, it caused serious damage to this famous painting and it is impossible to repair it.
After that, the painting was pass over by many people and no one don't know where it ended up!
According to the speculation of the Italian police and the Italian National Antiquities Protection Center, this famous painting is probably still in the hands of a leader of the Sicilian Mafia!
It is also said that this famous painting was stolen by two amateur collectors in Palermo. After a fight and bloody struggle, it finally fell into the hands of the Sicilian Mafia.
Before being arrested, the Mafia leader who obtained this famous painting put the famous painting, millions of dollars and several kilograms of heroin in a large iron box, buried it in the ground and went missing!
In addition, there are many other rumors. Almost all rumors are related to the Sicilian Mafia. This famous painting be in the hands of the Mafia, has become a consensus among people.
Since this famous painting was stolen, the Italian police and the Italian National Antiquities Protection Center have never given up on traking and they have also put up a huge reward!
It is a pity that after decades, they still got nothing and they didn't even find much valuable information! The chance of Caravaggio's famous painting reappearing seems to be getting slimmer!
But who would have thought that this famous painting is not in Sicily, but in Boston, USA, in the living room of a pastor in the Old North Church, it hangs grandily and the surface is only covered with a layer of special paint!
On the edge of this famous painting, the traces of the paper cutter cutting are clearly visible and Ye Tian's heart trembled, shouting a pity!
In addition, there is no other damage to this oil painting, it is still well preserved and it is not as badly damaged and irreparable as the in rumors!
Who knows how Thompson got this famous painting. It's really amazing! Have to admire!
"However, from today onwards, this famous painting belongs to him and no one could to take it away!"
Ye Tian said to himself in his heart, decisively!
Of course, it is not impossible for the Italian National Antiquities Conservation Center to take it back. It depends on how much they are prepared to pay!
If the price paid can't satisfy him, then just stay cool!
Anyone know, the valuation of this famous painting was as high as 20 million US dollars 46 years ago, let alone now, it is definitely a crazy price!
After admiring this famous painting again, Ye Tian turned his gaze reluctantly and looked at another famous painting in the bedroom.
It is also a top-notch artwork with unlimited charm!