Every Friday we take a break from our regular blogging schedule to allow the authors an opportunity to feature a certain topic they are passionate about. Through this and other future posts we hope you’ll enjoy reading, we hope to share with you our personalities, passions, and interests on a more personal level.
As part of our continuing desire to bring beauty into focus, From Texas to Beyond will periodically feature brilliant pieces of art that have influenced our lives. We are excited to showcase these universal works of beauty with you.
As a follow-up to my earlier review of the Kimbell Art Museum, there is one artwork by one artist in particular that I absolutely love: The Cardsharps by Caravaggio.
Discovering Caravaggio
Caravaggio’s creations reignited my love of art. As a child, I always loved art. However, in 8th grade, I quickly learned that others were much more talented than myself. Gradually I lost interest as I realized I would never be a great artist. Or a good artist. Or even a mediocre artist.
What I learned recently is a simple truth: you do not have to be an accomplished artist to appreciate the artwork of others.
On a trip to Florence, Rome, and Vatican City, Matt introduced me to Caravaggio’s work. We saw 17 paintings by the Renaissance artist, and I could not wait to see more. With much delight, I realized that one of his first works, The Cardsharps, is owned by the Kimbell Art Museum in my home-town of Fort Worth. I did not need to travel to Europe to see a Caravaggio masterpiece!
Ever since my trip to Italy, my travels now include a scavenger hunt to view more Caravaggio paintings. Three years later, I have seen about 31 of his paintings in locations such as London, Paris, and Barcelona.
If you are unfamiliar with Caravaggio, click the link for some background on the life of Caravaggio. I find the more you know an artist, the more you can connect and enjoy their work. And Caravaggio has quite an interesting life.
For now, let’s take a look at Texas’ Caravaggio.
The Cardsharps
The past month, a larger-than-life image of The Cardsharps flew high above Fort Worth on multiple billboards. The advertisement by the Kimbell Art Museum simply stated, “Timeless Tales of Drama”.
From our perspective today, we may look at The Cardsharps with a quick glance and see a historical genre piece, and then move on. However in 1595 this painting created the genre of historical genre pieces.
The Cardsharps and The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs at the Kimbell Art Museum
I cannot emphasize enough the originality of this artwork. Before Caravaggio, subjects for artwork were restricted to religious art, Greek and Roman mythology, and portraits of the powerful and wealthy. In shocking contrast, Caravaggio presents the viewer with a scene from a Roman tavern, which was considered an inappropriate setting for the time. The unlikely setting portrays even “worse” subject matter, gambling and the dregs of society: two lowlifes cheating a poor young man in a game of cards. Gambling was not an appropriate activity for art. Cheating while gambling was unthinkable! However, the painting is beautiful! And it is unique. And it is entertaining. Caravaggio is telling a story.
As we look at the painting, we see three figures, gathered around a table. The young wealthy man on the left, known as the dupe, is about to lose some money. The older cheat in the middle signals his partner in crime, indicating what cards the dupe holds. Caravaggio stages the scene so that we are part of the action. He allows us a seat at this table, and suddenly, we see the crime as it unfolds. We are now an accomplice, knowing of the fraud, but incapable of warning the dupe of his pending misfortune.
Taking a look at the details on the canvas, the feather in the young cheat’s hat astonishes me. It appears truly lifelike. I want to reach out and touch the light and colorful feather. I don’t because I would get kicked out of the museum. Further details in the clothing and faces of the characters show Caravaggio’s amazing gift of capturing the live models who posed for him.
I remember my 8th grade art teacher telling me, “When painting from an image, model or still life objects, all of the answers are sitting before you.” That is probably true. I was not good enough to find all the answers, and display them in an accurate way.
Caravaggio was.
Georges de La Tour’s Cheat with the Ace of Clubs – Courtesy of KimbellArt.org
The Cardsharps Lasting Influence
While controversial in its time, The Cardsharps was also hugely popular. Caravaggio’s painting spawned thousands of copies. The work also inspired other artist, such as Georges de La Tour’s Cheat with the Ace of Clubs (also located in the Kimbell Art Museum). It probably inspired the “classic” image of hound dogs sitting around a poker table, smoking and playing cards that once decorated my college dorm room.
Comparing the Paintings
Every time I visit the Kimbell, Rebekah knows that I must spend a moment with The Cardsharps. The Cardsharps is full of universal truth, which is why we enjoy it today, more than 400 years later.
While enjoying Texas’ Caravaggio painting, I always long to experience the next Caravaggio. I look forward to sharing these experiences with you!
For more information on the Kimbell and its permanent collection, see our overview of the Kimbell Art Museum.
That sounds like a lovely art museum. I am looking forward to visiting the Museum of Fine Art in Boston again this summer.
The Kimbell is great! I have never been to the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. I will have to add this one to my Wish List!
How fantastic that you were able to enjoy one of your favorite art works. I’ve heard of this artist but was not familiar with his work. I enjoyed learning about it.
I’m glad this helped provide some background to a new artist! Context is so important in art. I hope you enjoy the next installments in the series…the 4th Chasing Caravaggio article is coming soon!
Ooh, great share! I love learning new tidbits. Thanks for introducing me to Caravaggio. Some of these paintings look familiar, now I know about the history.
You are very welcome! I love learning the history behind the art, and then sharing with others!
Thank you for this! I love reading about art and peoples take on it! Glad to also learn about the museum. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed! You will have to check out the Kimbell if you ever end up in Fort Worth!
I like art too, mainly the history behind it. and ive done that as well, loosing interest in something when I’ve realized I have no talent for it. i think it happens over time.
I love the history behind art! I guess our interests that we come back to over time are truly worthwhile!
I think it is great that you have been passionate about art since the 8th grade. I am not a fan, but I know a few people who have lined the walls of their homes with unique and expensive art work.
I wish I could afford collecting great art! Oh well, at least there are superb museums so everyone can enjoy wonderful art.
This is wonderful. Sounds like a great museum. I’ve never been to one before, but we have a few here in Toronto. I should get on that! looks like it would be interesting!
I have not been to Toronto yet. The Art Gallery of Ontario sounds like a great place to start your art appreciation journey. Let me know if you visit!
http://www.ago.net/whatson
What a cool place to visit! I have never heard of it but I learned quite a bit from this post! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
The Kimbell is a great art museum; it is definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area!
That sounds like a great place to visit. I am not familiar with his work. How nice that you got to enjoy his paintings.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for introducing me to a new artist! I can see why you like those paintings so much, they are a little different from others of the same time. I am not at all skilled in that area, but you are right you can be skilled in the art of appreciation!
You are very welcome! For those of us lacking the talents, art appreciation is the next best thing…
I could spend hours in an art museum going from piece to piece. Art is magnificent!
I totally agree!
wow, I love a good history lesson. Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome!
Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t heard of him before.
You’re welcome!
Love your passion for this painting. Looks like a great place to visit. Glad you got a chance to enjoy it!
Thank you! The Kimbell is a great place to check out some great art.
Saying “you do not have to be an accomplished artist to appreciate the artwork of others” is so true! I can’t paint or draw for the life of me but I love seeing others work.
Totally agree! I am glad that others have these skills, since we don’t!
It is a beautiful piece. Thanks for sharing it!
You are welcome!
I’d like to visit that place , looks like an awesome place to visit ,. I love your master piece thanks for sharing.
If you ever end up in Fort Worth, check out our review of the Kimbell Art Museum to help plan your trip.
http://www.fromtexastobeyond.com/the-kimbell-art-museum/
That is a beautiful painting – and I loved learning a bit of the history of Caravaggio as well! Thanks!
You are very welcome! I love learning as well!
I would love to go and see these in person. I bet they are gorgeous.
I hope you get to visit the Kimbell and see The Cardsharps in person very soon!
I never really knew this about Caravaggio. One of my husband’s favorite places to visit is the Kimbell. I think his absolute favorite is the Amon Carter. We live up near Denton now, but we used to both work very close to the museums in Ft Worth, and we’d go there from time to time after work.
We love the Cultural District! We will be featuring the Amon Carter Museum of Art in the near future. Actually, we are also working on a series about Denton…Check back soon!
I hadn’t heard of Caravaggio before. I really like the story that his paintings share, and how controversial his topic of choice was for the time!
I am glad you enjoyed! I am currently working on a 4th article in the Chasing Caravaggio series…Check back soon for more!