The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Source: Wikimedia Commons


It seems to me that every time I write about a painting by Caravaggio, I say it’s one of my favorites. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that every painting by Caravaggio is my favorite. There’s something about his work that just draws me in; I love his sense of visual drama and the elements of gritty realism—so absent in the art of the Renaissance—that he brings to his work.

That being said, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is truly one of my favorite Caravaggio paintings. It portrays a scene from the Gospel of John in which Jesus appears to Saint Thomas, who doubts that he has truly risen from the dead. The painting illustrates one of the most quoted verses from John’s Gospel, a tool often used in teaching Christian theology: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Caravaggio depicts Thomas with his hand on Christ’s wound, proof that he has truly died and been resurrected.

It is a truly masterful painting, this delicate and intimate moment with incredible sensitivity and nuance. The light that falls on Christ emphasizes his corporality while also suggesting his divinity and importance to the viewer. Caravaggio was a master of light and shadow, and he uses this chiaroscuro to create a narrative through line in this piece. The shadows (representing doubt) sweep over Saint Thomas, but as he touches Christ he is drawn into light. As always, Caravaggio’s work brings biblical scenes to life in a way that all the pomp and grandeur in the world cannot.

It is a wonderfully imaginative and touching approach to the subject matter that also highlights Caravaggio’s artistic mastery.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges by Henri Matisse (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges Source: Pinterest French artist Henri Matisse is rather famous for his paintings of goldfish. In fact, one of his most famous paintings, entitled Goldfish , depicts several of the aforementioned fish swimming in a bowl. Matisse is one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. His work is closely associated with the Fauvist movement and is generally characterized by great energy and rich, intense colors. Based on my research , Matisse began painting goldfish after he traveled to North Africa. In Morocco, Matisse observed locals watching goldfish swim in their bowls as they sunk into a meditative state. The fish subsequently became a symbol for this sense of tranquility, coming to represent an idyllic version of the world only accessible through joyous day-dreams. These calming fish are prominent in this painting, which is entitled Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges (which translates to The Cat With Red Fishes ). However, the serene energy of the fish
Read more

Five Puerto Rican Artists You Should Know

-
Image
The island of Puerto Rico has a long and vibrant artistic tradition. Western, Indigenous, and African cultures have all left their mark on Puerto Rican art, creating a colorful and unique visual legacy. While Puerto Rican artists have demonstrated their excellence throughout the years— from the creators of the captivating Taino petroglyphs to the sophisticated and subtle works of the Modernist painters—Puerto Rican art has received little attention from art historians and the wider art world. Here are five underappreciated Puerto Rican artists that you should know: 1. José Campeche José Campeche is often known as the first Puerto Rican painter in the Western history of fine arts. He was primarily known for his religious paintings and his portraits of elite Puerto Ricans, and today his work is recognized as some of the finest examples of Rococo art produced in the Americas. Campeche’s personal story is also inspiring. The son of a slave who had purchased his own freedom, Campech
Read more

Mural La Plena by Rafael Tufiño (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Mural la Plena Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Today I want to chat about a monumental piece of art that I recently had the pleasure of seeing at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. As the name suggests, Mural La Plena is a massive mural, fifteen by thirty feet in size, that was created by Puerto Rican artist Rafael Tufiño to commemorate la plena, a wildly popular genre of music that was born in the city of Ponce around 1900. The mural, which might appear abstract or incomprehensible to a viewer unfamiliar with the subject matter, illustrates the lyrics of popular plena songs. For example, the blue-green figure that dominates the upper half of the mural represents the hurricane from the plena “Temporal,” which mourns the destruction caused by a storm. Plena, as a genre, tells stories. According to my research , the lyrics come from current events, re-telling the stories that affected the lives of the people of Ponce. It began as a way for people of low socio-economic sta
Read more