Andrew Graham-Dixon's 2011 Biography Reexamines Caravaggio's Turbulent Life and Modern Appeal

Andrew Graham-Dixon's 2011 biography "Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane" offers a comprehensive examination of the Baroque painter's dramatic life and artistic legacy. Published by W. W. Norton & Company, this 514-page volume scrutinizes Caravaggio's rebellious existence, including his murder of a man, flights to Naples, Malta and Sicily, and possible homosexuality. The book provides detailed reconstructions of the artist's early life in Milan, his tumultuous Roman years, and his revolutionary artistic impact. Graham-Dixon analyzes Caravaggio's popularity today, comparing him to James Dean and noting his appeal despite contemporaries like Bernini, Pietro da Cortona, Borromini, and Artemisia Gentileschi having comparable influence or fascinating lives. The biography incorporates recent archival discoveries and offers plausible explanations for Caravaggio's violent late paintings, linking them to his swordsmanship experience. It includes full-color illustrations in the iPad edition and maps tracing his career. The review mentions Christopher Peachment's 2002 fictional novel about Caravaggio's death and references important scholarship by Roberto Longhi and André Berne-Joffroy. Caravaggio's reputation experienced a mid-twentieth century rediscovery following a long eclipse after his lifetime fame. The biography costs $39.95 and has ISBN-10: 0393081494.