Youtube Channel: Rediscovering Revelation

Title: The Call of Saint Matthew: How to Listen to Art

Rediscovering Art

Case Study: The Call of Saint Matthew Michelangelo da Caravaggio

Text:

This is the Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio. Completed in 1600, it is a

masterpiece of the Baroque period in Italy, a movement that Caravaggio
virtually founded.

From the first glance, there a few parts that strike me. The dark soot-ridden
tavern, Christ’s imperious entrance into the scene, and the interplay
between light and shadow that illuminate the deeper drama between the
human and the divine. The luxurious 16th century clothing stand in stark
contrast to Christ’s plain, Palestinian garb.

As the title suggests, the painting tells the story of the Calling of St.
Matthew. Found in Matthew 9:9 we read «As Jesus went on from there, he
saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”
he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him».

The painting employs an effect established by Caravaggio called tenebrism.

Tenebrism refers to the use of bright illumination in a scene of darkness
which in turn heightens the dramatic tension.

First let’s take a look in the shadows: The men’s contentious dress hints at
their wealth, but their weapons and the fact that there are tax collectors give
us an idea that the money on the table is wasn’t exactly gained by legal
means. The shadow represents man’s moral condition: these are men bent
on personal gain and are willing to use force.

Now let’s take a look at the light: where does it come? It’s certainly not
coming from the window, in fact the window shutter tells us that we actually
outside. The light’s origin is unknown, that is it is a spiritual light.

Zoro, Whiplash, Self made man

Much more than an esthetic technique the interplay between light and
shadow

Before meeting Christ man is in the Shadows.

Matthew doesn’t not take the first step. He lives in the Shadows and it is
Christ her irrupts into his life.

Actuality of the message.

Light shines out the darkness.

Platos Cave

Moral ascent,

Recreation in Adam.

Attitudes

Sharply breaking from the Renaissance idealism, full of flawless figures,

Caravaggio’s immerses us in the dark soot-ridden tavern. Still the darkness
of reality sets the scene for the burst of illumination that perforates the
scene, charging it with a highly dramatic character. This is an effect that
Caravaggio established call tenebrism, which is the bright illumination of a
scene out of darkness.

Christ is walking in on the right. Half obscured. Younger, nobler, more

delicate.

St. Peter is a heavy, powerful, rough looking guy with the short-cropped hair.
St. Matthew

Christ isn’t in heaven, hes in the back room of what looks like a tavern or a
bar. He’s surrounded by younger men, counting money. They are armed,
they have swords. The money hasn’t been gotten legally. Contentiously
dressed. Guns counting money.

Christ is shown in a very contemporary environment, very real. Idealized

beauty from the high renaissance. He brings the spiritual down to every day
level.

You, I’ve chosen you.

Light: Christ is the embodiment of a spiritual force. The sunlight.

Pedetriast, dirty, gritty. The window panes… soot. The walls are sooty and grainy.

The hand the Michael Angelo had painted of Adam. Christ is the second Adam.

Spiritual Awakening: Conversion

Matthew 9:9 «As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew
sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew
got up and followed him».

Earthbound, emits only the barest hint of the spiritual in the halo of Christ’s
head.

Contemporary 17th clothing. Not a spiritual moment. Earthbound, common

people seen on the streets of Rome.

Still counting.

Naturalism: light and shadow, vividness, the bodys have weight and mass.

Space at the table waiting for us. Breaks down the distance between the
world and the painting.

Peter points: Church confirms. Seens as the founder of the Church.

Figures don’t even notice. Contrast between those who are aware.