Caravaggio – Old Masters Painting Online Course

Chiaroscuro was practised long before Caravaggio arrived on the scene, but it was he who made the technique a dominant stylistic element, darkening the shadows and transfixing the subject in a blinding shaft of light.

Sources state that Caravaggio did not draw but painted directly in color by copying from life: the frequent pentimentos during the work documented by X-ray investigations seem to confirm this fact.

He worked at great speed, from live models, scoring basic guides directly onto the canvas with the end of the brush handle; very few of Caravaggio’s drawings appear to have survived, and it is likely that he preferred to work directly on the canvas, an unusual approach at the time.

This course refers to the most recent scholarly research and scientific analyses of Caravaggio’s, including The Taking of Christ (1602) at the National Gallery of Ireland. Detailed notes will be given, which include historical and background information about the artist and his paintings.

Master Copy Paintings

Copying master paintings is one of the best ways to improve your painting skills, and painting the nude figure in particular offers the greatest scope for understanding gesture, capturing proportion, turning form, and mastering the effects of subtle colour.

You will copy at least ONE, if not two, of the following paintings, depending on how much time you have available. But a step-by-step guide as well as demonstrations on how to copy all three paintings will be given. Each painting is representative of the three main periods in his career.

BOY WITH A BASKET OF FRUIT (c.1593-95)

SUPPER AT EMMAUS (c.1602)

DAVID WITH THE HEAD OF GOLIATH (c.1610)

Caravaggio’s Painting Methods & Techniques