The beautiful cathedral of Malta hosts two of the world's most beautiful Caravaggio paintings. We had the awesome privilege of seeing these two paintings. Though photographs were not permitted, I've included some picture from the internet of these two great masterpieces.
In this first piece, St. Jerome Writing, we see Caravaggio utilizing the Grand Master of Malta, who had given him refuge when he was accused of murder. Caravaggio left Rome for Malta after he had been accused of killing his lover's wife. Remember that Caravaggio had a sketchy history. He was a master with the paintbrush and canvas, but his personal life was a disaster. As a thanks to the Grand Master, he painted these two magnificent works of art for the Cathedral of St. John. It depicts St. Jerome, who translated the Scriptures from Greek into Latin, the native tongue of the Roman people. The skull is a reminder of death. No matter how good a life we lead here, ultimately, we belong to God and, ultimately, we all shall die. The candlestick to the right represents spiritual illumination. The beauty of this painting comes from the light shining on the important work St. Jerome is about. The light comes from the left hand side illuminating not only St. Jerome but the clothing he wears, the skull and the manuscript. Look at the torso of the saint. You can even see the shadow of one arm crossing over his chest. Caravaggio had an amazing skill with light.
The other magnificent piece is the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Though this image looks rather dark, it is a huge piece and you notice lots of light from the center of the painting. Caravaggio painted this in just a week! He also never used sketches. He just started applying the paintbrush to the canvas. There is a lot of open space in this painting. Caravaggio was concerned about showing us the important scene and left other details lacking. You see the bowing maid holding a platter to receive the head of the Baptist. Perhaps she is meant to be the wife of Herodias, who asks for John's head. Others say that she appears to have striking Maltese characteristics. The old maid places her head in her hands as she is appalled by the horrific act of beheading a prophet. She is the only person depicted who reacts negatively to what is happening in the scene. The jailer orders the placing of the head of the baptist on the platter. His pointing hand is bathed in light emphasizing the order to kill John. Some say this jailer is again the character of the Grand Master of Malta. The executioner commands our attention by the detail of the muscles on his back and arms. He reaches for the dagger but notice how there is no blood on the sword, nor the dagger. And John's head is hardly severed at this point. Caravaggio knew this piece would be placed in a church and he wanted to inspire, not to repulse the viewers. Below the flow of blood Caravaggio signs the piece. It is the only one of his works that he signed. John's garment is bright red - the color of royalty. He wants us to pay attention to him. The rope near John's neck appears to still be moving, indicating that the depiction occurs right after the deed had been done. On the right side of the painting, onlookers peer from a window - as if to say, we are blocked from doing anything about this. Were they upset? Concerned? Bewildered? Frightened? It's hard to know but we know that they look on the scene from afar.
As I reflected on this painting, I thought to myself, "Do I stand up when someone is unjustly treated?" "Am I more a spectator, than someone who intercedes for another?" "Am I willing to die for my faith? Stand up for my beliefs? Defend those who have no voice to speak for themselves?" Lots to think about and reflect on in these beautiful works by Caravaggio..
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