Why did Caravaggio become so famous in his own time?
We have seen thousands of murders on screen.
Almost 500 years ago Caravaggio’s viewers had not.
Part of the answer may be here.
Look at the sword. The blood. Holofernes’ face. Judith’s hands.
Around 1600, seeing violence like this in a painting was extraordinary. Not because people had never witnessed violence, but because they rarely saw it frozen at the exact moment of the act.
The victim is still alive.
The sword is still moving.
The blood is still flowing.
Imagine seeing this in 1600. No cinema. No television. No photographs. No endless stream of violent images.
A shock. Unforgettable.
Perhaps this is part of Caravaggio’s secret.
He made you feel as if you were standing there.
Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598