Self Portrait as Bacchus, Boy with a Basket of Fruit

Boy with a Basket of Fruit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bacchino malato (Caravaggio) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Graham-Dixon: “Caravaggio”; A Critical Analysis

The author compares two paintings of the same painter "Caravaggio" picked out because they were mentioned as particularly memorable and relevant to the painter's biography. The first painting is described as a dry portrait, often referred to as "Sick Bacchus". A man holding a bunch of grapes, with a pallid tone like a statue, in a poetic salute to the God of Wine. Graham-Dixon does not question the painting being a self portrait as he gathers anecdotal evidence stating the fact it was grouped with other mirror based self portraits of the artist. There is a question, however if the painting is an alludes to the artist's sickness. It is known that the artist was recently discharged from hospital before creating that painting, and there is the dry texture and expression certainly raising the issue, "why the God of Wine: Bacchus". In Greek Mythology, the author recounts to us that Bacchus was surrounded by all the anarchy of over indulgence. It is possible that his striking pose was the painter's personal manifesto of a turmoil with alcoholism. The second portrait by contrast shows us a fresher, brighter painting of a boy holding fruit. Only this time, the model for this painting is suggested to be a young Sciccilian friend, in which Caravaggio shows off all his abilities to show off his unearthly skills. The author tells us that quite opposite of the self portrait, Caravaggio has exceeded the classical style of established painting and captured a snapshot of real-life. At that time in the late 15th Century it provoked much astounding judgement and turmoil that Graham-Dixon poses many sources of evidence to illustrate those perspectives.