Similarities Between Michelangelo And Caravaggio

Michelangelo and Caravaggio at some point in history were the most famous artists in Rome, Italy. Michelangelo a prominent architect, poet, sculptor, and painter found his success in Italy during the High Renaissance period (1490-1527). While Caravaggio was the most popular painter in Rome and spearheaded the Baroque period (1650-1750). Artists like Caravaggio in the Baroque period turned to a powerful and dramatic realism, intensified by bold contrasts of light and dark. Michelangelo’s reputation as a painter fluctuated during the High Renaissance, but his devotion to his art and his genius undoubtedly influenced artists such as Caravaggio during the Baroque Period. However, each artist had incredibly different styles, and utilized different mediums in their most popular works of art. Despite that there are also many similarities which indicate Michaelangelo’s heavy influences on Caravaggio and Baroque Period art. The comparison will be between Michelangelo, Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Fresco. c. 1508-1512 and Caravaggio, Calling of St. Matthew, Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Oil

on Canvas, c. 1599-1600. Although analysis of Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel may be broad it is a great representation of the High Renaissance. The viewers can really get full examples of the main iconography, patronage, personal/regional style, and medium used in that period. With Caravaggio’s art work the viewer can get all of the same information, but most importantly viewers witness the shift from High Renaissance beauty and grandeur to Baroque drama and realism.
Michelangelo was originally from Florentine territory. He developed as an artist in Florence, Italy and his main patron was the very wealthy Medici family. Florence is where Michelangelo made a name for himself as a sculptor and artist. Rivaling artist such as Leonardo Da Vinci even at a young age. Michelangelo would later have a wealthy and powerful patron bring him to Rome. Pope Julius II sent for Michelangelo and commissioned him to create a tomb in the Pope’s honor. The tomb was worked on briefly by Michelangelo up until Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to paint the 12,000 square foot ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Religion, specifically Catholicism was without a doubt an important influence on the logistics of the time. Pope Julius II, also known as the Warrior Pope, failed to bring Italy under papal control. His concern with the arts and politics alienated northern Europe and helped pave the way for the Protestant Reformation. Regardless his patronage brought out the masterworks of the High Renaissance.
Michelangelo completed the Sistine Chapel ceiling over four years, painting practically single-handedly in an awkward position for hours each day. The central theme is stories from the Book of Genesis. The narrative begins at the altar and is divided into three sections. In the first three paintings, Michelangelo tells the story of The Creation of the Heavens and Earth; this is followed by The Creation of Adam and Eve and the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden; finally is the story of Noah and the Great Flood. Nude figures sit in architecture around these frescoes, and they are accompanied by prophets and sibyls (ancient seers who foretold the coming of Christ) in the spandrels. The Sistine Chapel frescos are all representative of the Early Renaissance with piety related patronage, medium, and style. Michelangelo however did incorporate his sculpting experiences best seen in the muscularity and symmetry of his figures. Very representative of Michelangelo, David, 1501-04 Marble. Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence. Similar to Michelangelo the painter Caravaggio went by a single name. Caravaggio’s name came from the name of the small town where he was born.
An astounding artist in his own right there is no doubt that he marked the beginning of a new artistic period. At the time Caravaggio was building his reputation, painting had achieved the objective that most patrons had set centuries before. The naturalism art movement by this time was a perfect representation of the world around the artists and all of it’s manifestations. Caravaggio pushed the envelope. His paintings showed peasants, innkeepers, and gamblers. (commonly not subjects in the renaissance) Though they might sometimes be dressed as saints, apostles, and fathers of the Church. They represented reality in a crude and harsh aspect. This alone was a break with Renaissance art, with its holy figures and staged surroundings. Unlike the High Renaissance the most important aspect of Baroque painting was not what was represented, but how it was represented. Baroque art was full of closely cropped, dramatic, and realistic subject matter.
Despite Caravaggio’s stylistic differences at the time he managed to find patrons and aristocratic collectors in Rome.

Capitalism was still prevalent which allowed for patrons to build even larger art collections. This allowed for Caravaggio to be even more selective with his subject matter and style. In the Caravaggio, Calling of St. Matthew, Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Oil on Canvas, c. 1599-1600 the painting was not lit uniformly but in patches. The paintings details were struck by bright and intense light alternating with areas of dark shadows. The figures were disheveled and plain. There were figures counting money that ignored the presence of Jesus in the room. A far cry from the idolization of Christ in most High Renaissance paintings. Caravaggio proved to be master of oil paints similar to Jan van Eyck minute

detail.
In Michelangelo's frescos were brightly colored drawings with overall lighting. In Caravaggio’s painting a canvas would be at times strongly lit and have intense shadows. The highlights in Caravaggio’s painting would be symbolic an indicated the important elements of the composition. Caravaggio’s work was heavily influenced by Michelangelo. In the Calling of St. Matthew Jesus’ hand is clearly inspired by Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. Michelangelo had studied the body so well that all of his figures in Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were symmetrical and anatomically correct. Caravaggio’s figures were always anatomical, but had a realism to them that common viewers could connect with.
Michelangelo clearly elevated what it meant to be an artist during the High Renaissance. The mastery of his mediums and his drive to be knowledgeable about human anatomy built a foundation for artist to follow after. Caravaggio picked up the torch and ran with it. His art was a dramatic, violent, and had a tormented style of painting. It was eminently suited to an age of strong contrasts, as the Baroque period was. Both Michelangelo and Caravaggio were able to enhance the physical and evoke the emotion of the any depicted narrative. Undoubtedly making each artist one of the greats of all time.