New Documentary on Caravaggio Premieres on Marquee TV, Following Success of Vermeer Film

A documentary focusing on the Baroque painter Caravaggio will debut on the streaming service Marquee TV on April 6. The film is part of the Exhibition on Screen series, directed by Phil Grabsky and David Bickerstaff, who previously produced a highly successful documentary on Vermeer that became the top-grossing art documentary in UK history. This new feature explores Caravaggio's artistic practice and personal history through expert analysis, dramatizations, and insights from five years of research and international travel. Grabsky notes that prior portrayals have overemphasized the artist's violent behavior, such as his arrests for fighting, which he believes detracts from understanding his true artistic contributions. The documentary has already received positive reception in cinemas, ranking as the series' second most popular after the Vermeer film and winning an audience award at the Master of Art festival. While the Vermeer release aligned with a major exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, this Caravaggio film is not tied to a specific exhibition, reflecting the directors' aim to vary their subjects, which also include artists like Frida Kahlo and Edward Hopper. Caravaggio, born in Milan in 1571, was known for his dramatic realism and use of chiaroscuro, working primarily in Rome before fleeing after a murder in 1606 and dying at age 38. Marquee TV, described as a platform akin to Netflix for the arts, reported a 40% growth in subscribers in 2025, indicating sustained interest in arts programming.