Caravaggio Documentary Fails to Capture Collaborative Nature of Artist's Life

The 2025 documentary drama "Caravaggio," directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky, perpetuates the myth of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio as a solitary, bellicose figure, despite his career being marked by constant collaboration. The film features art historian Helen Langdon, Christie's research head Letizia Treves, Italian art historian Fabio Scaletti, and artist Stephen Nelson as experts. While offering close-up views of his works normally inaccessible in churches and museums, the documentary's portrayal of Caravaggio's personality should be approached with caution. The film serves as a primer but reinforces the enduring fascination with Caravaggio as the "damned artist," raising questions about his character, sexuality, politics, and practice.