Latest news with #Caravaggio
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Passion of the Cartoonist
CARAVAGGIO: The Palette and the Sword, by Milo Manara Just in time for his 80th birthday, the Italian sex comics genius Milo Manara has finished a two-volume graphic biography of another famously libidinous artist: 'Caravaggio: The Palette and the Sword.' The books are, in many ways, Manara's theory of his own work, and Caravaggio is his stand-in: 'Ecstasy is ecstasy, regardless of where it comes from,' the great painter declares to one of his models on one page. The girl is teasing him for portraying her as his 'Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy' from a sketch he made while she was masturbating, but Caravaggio and Manara are both adamant: It is the passion itself that matters, not whether it happens to be carnal or devotional. Manara defies easy categorization; or rather, he invites conflicting characterizations. He has worked on both DC and Marvel Comics characters and drawn dream-logic comics with the film director Federico Fellini, all using the same virtuosic line. But he's best known as an especially unrestrained pornographer, one whose smut often ranges into literary territory. There's a gender-swapped version of Jonathan Swift's satire 'Gulliver's Travels' and an adaptation of the ancient Roman writer Apuleius' bawdy novel 'The Golden Ass' in his bibliography. (The word 'ass' refers to a donkey here, for what it's worth.) In Caravaggio, Manara has an especially appropriate subject for his attentions: a horny scoundrel who painted some of the most transcendently beautiful images of Christian faith ever made. (He often tried to use them as bribes to stay out of prison.) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Spectator
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Picture perfect: Locatelli at the National Gallery reviewed
I feel for Locatelli, the new Italian restaurant inside the National Gallery, whose opening coincides with the 200th anniversary of the gallery and a rehang which I can't see the point of because I want to watch Van Eyck in the dark. Locatelli must compete with the Caravaggio chicken, which is really called 'Supper at Emmaus' if you are an art historian or an adult. In the publicity photographs the chef Giorgio Locatelli is actually standing in front of the Caravaggio chicken. It looks as if Jesus is waving at Giorgio Locatelli but the chicken is unmoved. It stole all the gravitas. 'Locatelli is the National Gallery's new Italian master with the latest chapter of his beloved London restaurant,' said Wallpaper* magazine idiotically: Wallpaper*, of all magazines, should know better than to compare Bacchus and Ariadne with ravioli. Locatelli hangs in a mezzanine in the Sainsbury Wing, which is all mezzanine and one gilded staircase to heaven. It is fiercely generic in creams, beiges and golds and though I understand why they did it – they did it because it will remind the sorts of people who can afford to eat at Locatelli of their own houses in west London – I wish they hadn't. I know the British don't really do the visual arts, except motorcars. We have one perfect painter, J.M.W. Turner (working-class, of course), plus Frank Auerbach (a German-Jewish refugee who painted anguish), so the best of it is seascapes and screaming. Locatelli sprouts from another hinterland: poised and avoidant anti-art, a place without conflict or regret. It's a rental flat in W1, a neutral cashmere cardigan, the VIP area at Glastonbury and – and this is what is unforgivable – it is inches from the Renaissance. What's left of it, which isn't much, to be fair. Beige moleskin banquettes do not belong near Velázquez's 'Rokeby Venus', which a suffragette attacked in 1914, possibly because Venus is showing so much arse. (I feel the same way about MTV.) If you want to eat in a mock-up of Hans Holbein's 'The Ambassadors' or the 'Arnolfini Marriage' – and I do very much, I love a themed restaurant if the theme is more than nothingness and ease – Locatelli is not for you. It is, rather, for those who seek immaculate Italian cuisine. We eat a salad of Parma ham, pear and aged balsamic; burrata with spring vegetable and mint salad; veal tortelloni with gremolada and parmesan sauce; tagliatelle with beef and pork ragout; an immense rib-eye steak; a chocolate cake; a tiramisu. It is all sinuous and beautiful: Italian, not Flemish art then, and I prefer the Flemish school. I understand why the National Gallery wants a real restaurant, as the Royal Academy has. (José Pizarro at the RA is exquisite, as no one has ever said about the Summer Exhibition, which seems to be painted by people who have been on Jim'll Fix It.) They want to remake it as another polished lifestyle destination: that is the rehang. Yet there is something savage about the National Gallery, and not just because it is built on the site of the former royal stables so, were you a medium or Hilary Mantel, you would hear ghostly neighs as white Jesuses wave at you. Look around: where you find civilisation, barbarism will be close at hand. Art should not make you hungry: it should drive you mad. In 1987, a man shot Leonardo's Burlington House Cartoon of the Virgin and friends. I take a bite of impeccable tiramisu, and I understand.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tiny European island less than 4 hours from the UK boasts 300 days of sunshine
A gorgeous island in Europe is less than four hours' flight from the UK and has everything you could want for a brilliant getaway including Blue flag beaches and three UNESCO world heritage sites Looking down is never a good thing to do when you're standing on an elevated glass viewing platform – but it's an even worse idea while you're on top of the tallest building in Malta. Thankfully, there's little downward temptation when you're looking out from the 397ft-tall Mercury Tower, captivated by the glittering Mediterranean Sea and the island's dramatic skyline. And as more and more Brits are discovering – with searches here for Malta rising by 120% in 2025 – the archipelago boasts three UNESCO world heritage sites and more Blue Flag beaches than there are days in a week, meaning there's lots to explore. And, of course, there's 300 days of sunshine to factor in too... From the beautiful capital Valletta to the ancient city of Mdina, instantly recognisable to Game of Thrones fans, the island has something for everyone, as we found out on a five-day break via the new easyJet route from Southend airport. Our visit certainly got off to a flying start at Odyssey Malta, inside Mercury Tower. The 35-minute immersive experience culminates in a 5D flying theatre ride (£21 for adults). It's a great introduction to the island's rich history, and we couldn't wait to see the sights for ourselves when our feet were back on firm ground. There were more thrills ahead when we arrived in Vittoriosa (Birgu) for a 'Rolling Geeks' tour of Malta's historic fortified cities, also including Senglea (Isla), and Cospicua (Bormla). The Geeks were self-drive electric cars like golf buggies – much, much faster than walking the hills on foot and more fun too. We wound through the narrow streets lined by beautiful churches, piazzas, and museums. No directions were needed thanks to onboard GPS and there's an audio guide too. One of our top stops was Gardjola Gardens, which overlooks Valletta and the Grand Harbour. The two-and-a-half-hour tour (from £82 per car) is fine for adults and kids. Just remember the driver needs their licence. When it comes to exploring Valletta, you'll need a couple of days to make the most of the picture-perfect capital city. If, like us, you're there for a few days, you might hear one of its most famous attractions before you see it – Valletta is home to one of the oldest operational saluting batteries, with daily gun salutes. Another attraction we visited was just as impressive, though you'd be forgiven for questioning it at first glance. From the outside, St John's Co-Cathedral (£12 for adults) looks more like a fortress than a church, but inside you'll find breathtaking frescoes and gilded arches. Art-lovers can't miss Caravaggio's masterpiece, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. After walking the streets of Valletta, it was time to descend beneath them. Underground Valletta (£13 for adults) takes visitors into the city's subterranean tunnels, where families sheltered from bombers in the Second World War. The tunnels are dark, and eerie, but incredible to see, dimly illuminated by your head torch. For a more relaxed excursion, try car-free Mdina, known as the "Silent City". It was appointed as the first capital by the Knights of Malta, and you can still walk the winding, cobbled streets behind its fortified walls. Passing under the Main Gate, flanked by stone-carved lions, felt like stepping back in time, or on to a film set. The city served as a backdrop for King's Landing in the first season of Game of Thrones. History buffs will love the mix of baroque and medieval architecture. At night Mdina is illuminated and well worth an evening stroll. Our tour guide's best tip was to escape the crowds and head to Gozo where the locals holiday. Malta's second-largest island is only a 25-minute ferry ride (£4) from the Cirkewwa terminal, and our day trip was a highlight. We explored Ir-Rabat, Gozo's capital, and the Citadel, an ancient fortified city. And we learned how to prepare traditional Gozitan cheese at Il-Wile Restaurant. As for food and drink? Malta's offering is so impressive you could spend most of your visit touring restaurants and leave happy. Picture hunks of bread dipped in homemade olive oil, traditional pizzas, and fresh seafood, paired with crisp wine. The focus is on meat and fish, but I never felt left out with vegetarian alternatives even at The Chophouse, a steakhouse that has earned rave reviews. The Michelin Guide-recognised restaurant near Valletta has a lovely waterfront view, best enjoyed in the evening. Another restaurant with the same accolade, 59 Republic, was so impressive I'll be talking about it for years. Located in the heart of Valletta, the chic bistro overlooks the Grand Master's Palace. This is not the place to skip dessert as the strawberry cheesecake was the nicest I've ever tried. In Mdina, Trattoria AD 1530 is a must-try – book an outdoor table if you can. Elsewhere on the island, Madliena Lodge is ideal for couples, and we loved the dinner at Kempinski Hotel's L-Istorja when we visited Gozo. The charm of Malta is you're never far from a sun-dappled courtyard, so see what you can discover. Book the holiday The Hyatt Regency Malta, a five-star hotel in St Julian's, was the perfect base for our trip. The hotel is within walking distance of beaches, bars, shopping, and nightlife – if you can pull yourself away from the spa, fitness centre and rooftop pool. It was while floating under the blue sky, with my happy-hour cocktails waiting for me, that I promised myself my first visit to Malta would definitely not be my last. Rooms start at around £180 a night.
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Caravaggio: lover, murderer, artist
I have visited Italian painter Caravaggio in many cities — London, Florence, Rome, Venice, Paris. Now here he is, returning the visits, a guest in my hometown Bengaluru, where Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy is on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art. Caravaggio had carried the painting with him while escaping to Naples after murdering a man at a tennis court in Rome. This was in the 17th century, but the question, can you separate the art from the artist, continues to trouble us. Caravaggio painted people from the streets (upsetting people by using a prostitute as model for the Virgin Mary). But he is said to have painted the Bengaluru work (in a manner of speaking) from memory; the memory of a love affair with a prostitute, Lena. She is imagined with her head thrown back, hair loose and shoulder exposed, fingers clasped and lips parted in ecstasy. A teardrop has begun its journey. This, in response to a resurrected Christ revealing himself. It is a picture of abandonment and loss, too. Caravaggio's loss of his love. In combining the personal and the universal, Caravaggio pointed a way for all art. Everything we know about Caravaggio, born Michelangelo Merisi, comes from police reports and court records of the many crimes of the artist that French writer Stendhal called 'a wicked man'. Contemporaries writing a decade after his death — self-serving narratives, according to a recent biographer — give us some events. He died at 39, either murdered, or following malaria, of syphilis, or owing to lead poisoning from his paints. There are 70 or 89 or 106 paintings of his in existence — uncertainty hovered over his life, work and death. Painting the action Caravaggio was born in 1571, seven years after Marlowe, Shakespeare and Galileo. He was the first modern painter, creating the new world of art, literature, and science with his contemporaries. He was a pioneer of modern cinematography, too. Director Martin Scorsese has acknowledged his debt to the artist who chose to paint a moment not at the beginning or at the end of an action, but 'during the action... it was like modern staging in a film. It was as if we had just come in the middle of a scene and it was all happening', as he said. Caravaggio was his paintings. I first saw him at the National Gallery in London where his Supper at Emmaus draws you in, making you a participant in the tableau. Two disciples have walked into an inn with a man they befriended along the way. When the stranger blesses and breaks bread, they suddenly realise he is Christ. Caravaggio paints that moment of recognition. The foreshortening of the outstretched arms of one disciple and the perspective of the other about to rise abruptly make it look like a modern photograph (photography wasn't invented for another two centuries). There is a halo over Christ cast by the light from behind the innkeeper. A basket of fruits on the edge of the table is about to tip over. A split second has been eternalised. Over the years, I have spent hours sitting before the painting. Whenever my wife and I went to London, we joked that it was as much to see our son as to visit the painting. On our bucket list is a visit to every Caravaggio on display. It is a blessing that so many works are in churches, virtually free to view. Occasionally, you dropped a coin into a slot to light up the work as some are in dark niches. At Rome's Capitoline Museum, there is an unusual Caravaggio — later critics called it a 'genre painting' — The Fortune Teller, where a young man looks pleased to get his palm read by a girl. What he doesn't notice, and we do, is the girl removing his ring as she does so. Perfection of life or work? Caravaggio was unique. According to a biographer, he had the advantage of not having been taught, which meant he had nothing to unlearn. He had no studio in the conventional sense. He did not draw. He never established a workshop with assistants who painted the boring stuff, he had no circle of pupils. Yet he influenced every artist who followed. And possibly every viewer, too. It is impossible to stand outside his canvas and not feel the energy, the power and the passion within. It hits you with the force of a falling building or a charging horse. The Caravaggio Conundrum — how do we weigh an artist's accomplishment against his personal wickedness? — haunts us today as we contemplate the works of Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, and a host of others who provoked the cancel culture. As the poet Yeats wrote: The intellect of man is forced to choose/ perfection of the life, or of the work… It is a choice individuals have to make for themselves. The painting is on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art till July 6. The writer is a prominent journalist and author.
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Caravaggio's 'Magdalene in Ecstasy' is an experience to behold, say visitors to art gallery
Bengaluru, The thing that got 11-year-old Mahaavin amazed when he discovered European master Caravaggio for the first time is the fact that the painting that hung at National Gallery of Modern Art was done in 1606. Caravaggio's 'Magdalene in Ecstasy' is an experience to behold, say visitors to art gallery Till July 6, NGMA will be displaying one of Caravaggio's works, "Magdalene in Ecstasy", thanks to Italian Embassy in Delhi, and in particular Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, who made sure the painting that was loaned to China, made a pitstop in Bengaluru too on its way back to Italy. After a month in Delhi, at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, it arrived in Bengaluru on June 13. "That is like more than 400 years old. How can something this old be this well preserved," said Mahaavin, who had accompanied his dad to NGMA. The pre-teen, a native of Tumakuru, but who lives in Vijayawada, is no stranger to art. His father, Vinod Kumar, an artist himself, and who teaches visual art at the same school his son is studying, had ensured that his education is wholesome by enrolling in a school that pays attention to art as much as learning a math formula. Kumar said he also made sure they visit some interesting places, including museums, on their school breaks, like now, considering they get breaks together. "But nothing really prepared me for this experience here," said Mahaavin. Every visitor that PTI spoke to on June 20 echoed this sentiment. Seventy-plus years old Kiran Ganapathy, a native of Coorg, who is visiting her daughter in Bengaluru, said she was extremely glad that she let her daughter persuade her to come. "I studied here in Bengaluru and in my college days, frankly, Bengaluru had lot more to offer in terms of art. All those iconic places are now gone, really. I think the last time that I had an art outing here was probably in the 1980s," said Ganapathy. But being an Army wife, Ganapathy said she has travelled a lot. "We have been to Florence and been to those countless museums there. I am sure I have come across Caravaggio there," she said. But here in NGMA though, a huge empty hall is plunged into darkness with only a tiny light right above the painting illuminating it in such a way that the entire focus, no matter where you go in the hall, is only the painting –- that of Mary Magdalene, the woman believed to be a sex worker and Jesus Christ's disciple. The painting captures her rapture, highlighted by, as critics put it, "a ray of intense light, her head lolling back and eyes stained with tears". "I think this is perhaps the best way to learn about an artist, without feeling that fatigue one tends to in museums. I think one gets to understand Caravaggio's art much better like this than walking through a series of his paintings," added Ganapathy. It helped that the visitors also had an option to know a little bit more of Caravaggio's life, his style and his other famous works through an eight-minute virtual reality presentation. But some, like 71-year-old Annapoorna Sitaram, an artist herself, chose to sit in the bench placed strategically in front of the painting, lost in contemplation. When PTI caught up with Sitaram, she was already sitting there close to 30 minutes, taking in all the symbolisms that the artist has packed into his painting. She readily points them out to us: The little triangles that shoulders, neck and the drape of her clothes formed which in Medieval Europe primarily linked to Christian Holy Trinity . The greyish undertone to the skin that is to be expected of a woman who was a sex worker in those times. The stark contrast between red and white of the clothes, which denotes the clashing personality of Magdalene passionate and pure. The clash of light and darkness, which is an underlying theme of every Caravaggio. "As an artist though, I am amazed at how much drama he managed to create with so little. At a time when his fellow artists were filling the canvas with things, he stripped them bare. Just the effect of light which pours from the top left – has more drama than most animated figures of other artists," said Sitaram. Tagliaferri said this "theatricality" is called Caravaggesque style. "He was very ahead of his time. He created a sense of photography, cinematography even, with the way he handled light. His paintings take you directly to that moment of drama – in this painting, it is the ecstasy of Magdalene. This is what makes Caravaggio's works compelling," said Tagliaferri. Sneha, who is "taking a break" from teaching, said she had a moment of epiphany while standing in front of the painting: once a teacher, always a teacher. Her "teacher" eyes immediately spotted possibly the only thing that went wrong — lighting is too dim to make out the most famous symbolism in "Magdalene in Ecstasy", the 'cross and crown of thorns'. According to a signage nearby, the skull at the bottom right and the cross at top left denote the eternal pull between the good and the evil that mankind goes through. "I mean, wasn't that the point of the painting? How can we compromise on that? Somebody needs to tell the organisers to brighten the lights a bit more," said the 45-year-old teacher. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
