CARAVA'0010, MICHELANGELO, AMERICIIII, or MORIGL called DA CARAVAGGIO, from a town of that name in the Milanese, In which he was born about the year 1509. His father worked at ]Ilan as a labouring builder. The son derived his first love of the art, together with such knowledge as he could pick up, in the service of certain artists as a colour-grinder. In course of time he managed to go to Venice, where he studied the works of Oiorgioce with great moons. and come of his pictures in the style of that period are much esteemed.
Caravaggio afterwards went to Rome, where, finding difficulty in getting employment, be engaged with a tramoking artist, called Arpin°, for whom he principally painted flowers and fruit.. This man he soon quitted, and commenced painting in the miscellaneous style which hu ever after purvuel Ile made a resolution to study no more from artificial models, but to adhere simply to nature, such as he fouled It in the streets and alleys of Rome. Neglecting his early studies at Venice, be assumed a manner characterised by dark and gloomy shades, illumined by a scanty twilight, as if he painted in a cellar. Having quarrelled over some game with a companion, whom ho killed, he fled to Naples; from Naples he went to Malta, where be was made a knight ; but here too be quarrelled with a person of rank, and was thrown into prison. Though he made his escape to Sicily, vengeance panned him, sod he was assaulted by a party of armed men, and grievously wounded and disfigured. Hie friends having obtained a pardon from the pope for the murder, he set out for but unfortunately, on landing, he was taken into custody by mistake, and upon being releseed, could no longer find the vessel, which had all his property on board. Exhausted with fruitless endeavour. to find the vessel and his property, he endeavoured to make the best of his The heat, his yet unhealed vrouode, and anxiety of mind, brought on so violent a fever, that he could barely reach the Porta !'.mole, where he sat down upon • bank and presently expired, at the age of forty, in the year 1609. Caravaggio was rude and
negligent In his person and habits ; he scarcely retained a friend, and be defied all rules of civility end decency.
The principal merit of his pictures consist. in the colouring, which Is pore sod vigorous; the tint. are few, but true to nature. Annabel*, Candid said of him that he "ground flesh" (and 'tot colour). The °temerity In which he Involves his design gives it • certain air of mystariesue grenadine; but his figures are replete with the enrodecmsi vulgarity of the models from which be studied, and the extravagance of a re f taught conceit aegravatesi by abandoned habits. Ilia prin. s441 works are a 'SL Sebastian; in the Capitol at Rome, a' Supper at Emma.," In the Pore se Palace, anal the 'Eutombnoent of Christ,' now in the Louvre, whien In its original place in the Chicaa Nueva was con sidered to tellies. the rival alter-pieees by Paroccin, Guido, and Ruben,.
Among the number of his imitators, says Lanai, there is not a single bed coloariat; Oueraino and Guido, and even Annibalo Caren!, are seed to have profited by the study of his works. (Itaidinuoci.) CA It A VA'0 010, MIA DO'ItO DA, • celebrated Italian painter, been at Caravaggio about 1195; hie family name wan CALDARA: When he was eighteen yen of age Le was • labourer, and was with many others employed as such about 1512 in the Vatican, whin Ralf soil, was paintleg the loggia and stanza there, in the pontificate of Imo X. He appears to have taken great interest in the progress of the wort., and he made some attempts at design himself, which had sea lent merit to induce Maturino of Florence, one of the assistants employed, to undertake to teach him to draw, for which ho soon die lajed extraordinary ability. A strong attachment grew up between the two young painters. Maturino employed Polidoro to waist him In hie work, and their joint labour soon attracted the notice and admiration of Raffaelle.