Throughout this lecture series you will be taken on a journey through many works of the artist born Michelangelo Merisi in Caravaggio, Italy in 1571, and better known as simply “Caravaggio,” as well as works by several others. Tom Richards expertly guides us through the life of the artist, qualities of the paintings, and invites the listener to explore how the history and time of a painter can be tied to the work they create.

In this lecture we learn about the artist’s early years, education, and travels while focusing on the question: “is an artist born or made?”
From Caravaggio’s studies with Simone Peterzano (1535–1599, self-proclaimed to have been taught by Titian) to travels through Florence, Rome, and more, we begin to examine how his instruction and the works he’d have seen could have influenced the works he was making and would make throughout his life.

A notoriously mercurial character, Caravaggio had many competitors and adversaries until his death in 1610, yet his paintings have persisted in continuously inspiring and enthralling the masses throughout the centuries. Although no one can claim to say precisely why an artist’s work perseveres through the annals of time, this lecture series attempts to shine a little light on the, at times very dark, life and work of Caravaggio.