“The Last Caravaggio” exhibition at London’s National Gallery

I recently went to the National Gallery’s Caravaggio exhibition. It is about his final and dark masterpiece.

It was attributed to him in the 1970s by Roberto Longhi and brought to light.

We were all taken to a dark & intimate room to see the painting. I really enjoyed it.

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The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, 1610

The star of the show. 

Ursula is a beautiful and isolated female figure in the painting surrounded by soldiers. 

St Ursula is the medieval Christian legend of the princess martyred with her clutch of 11,000 virgins. On her return from pilgrimage in Rome, she met the Hun king who fell in love with Ursula’s beauty. On rejecting marriage, he killed her, and massacred her followers.

Caravaggio paints this gruesome story of through dramatic hand gestures and emotions. The furrowed & unkept soldier, with a gaping mouth, fired the guilty arrow. Beautiful crimson robes connects them both, like fire. The bystanders seem to notice — but only too late. Hands flailing hopelessly to stop it ... and then finally ... Ursula’s own hands framing the fatal wound while her own beautiful face downard in calm resignation. What is amazing is that the King’s killer seems to have some regret. It seems he didn’t “mean” to hurt her? Or perhaps it is her own reaction which has ignited his shock? Ursula seems glow and shine. Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro is sublime.

Caravaggio even paints himself. He extremely pale, open-mouthed, and looking of Ursula’s shoulder. Very similar to his self-portrait in “The Taking of Christ”. He is part of the drama.

Displayed at the National Gallery alongside the painting is a letter about how Caravaggio — on the run for murder — finished this particular canvas in haste in Naples in May 1610. He delivered the painting still wet to Marcantonio Doria who had commissioned it.

Caravaggio died on July 18 1610, a mere weeks after finishing “Ursula”.

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Salome Receives the Head of John the Baptist

This is part of the NG’s own Caravaggio collection.

Salome is a famous legend (see Sebastiano del Piombo)

The decapitated head of John the Baptist is shown to Salome. Offered on a gilded plate. The outstretched hands of the soldier (with sword in other hand) as if to distance himself? His face is a bit uncomfortable ... is it regret, or merely distaste? St. John looks like he is still sleeping. The clever lighting (against a dark ground) creates a uniform skin colour to mask death. But it is also quite claustrophobic.

Salome seems to be blushing. But why? Remorse? A hint of irritation in her lips perhaps?

The old lady, hands crossed in prayer, is the complete opposite of Salome. Age, expression, line of sight ...