2
W
ith Beyond
17th-century Paintings, orchestrating a
demonstrating how Caravaggio’s art
Caravaggio,
showcase like this one was too good an
came to inspire a whole generation of
The National
opportunity to resist.
practitioners in its wake.
Gallery in Trafalgar
“I had the idea about four years ago,”
“This is the first time the exhibition’s
she says. “I was thinking about our
been done in Britain, so I wanted to
Square is bringing the story of one of
own collection, as we have three great
approach it differently,” continues
the world’s most iconic artists vividly to
masterpieces by Caravaggio from each of
Letizia. “I was keen to explore whether
life – but not in a way you might expect.
the distinct phases of his career, but very
we could tell the story with pictures
Indeed, the exhibition, which runs until
little context for him. I was very keen to
principally sourced from regional
Sunday January 15, is the UK’s first
explore putting them in a wider context.
museums, stately homes and country
major display to explore the visionary’s
There’s a tendency to view him in isolation
houses in this country, showing what
influence on his contemporaries
because he’s so famous, so I wanted to
great treasures and lesser-known
and followers.
show his influence and impact.”
pictures we have here. I think scholars
Comprising a total of 49 pieces –
To illustrate her point, Letizia set about
and people who know about this
including six by Caravaggio himself – the
sourcing the works she needed, the vast
period will be very surprised at what
spectacle gives visitors a unique chance
majority of which came from museums,
we’ve managed to unearth.
to discover a number of hidden treasures
stately homes, castles and private
from around the British Isles. For curator
collections across Britain and Ireland.
argument as visually compelling as
Letizia Treves, who also oversees the
The intention was to select pictures that
possible, so the six Caravaggios in
gallery’s Later Italian, Spanish and French
would be unfamiliar to appreciators,
the show are positioned very carefully
“I very much wanted to make the
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