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Caravaggio and Art Classics Books
Francine Prose
Edited by Francesca Marini; Translated by Miriam Hurley Paperback, 149 pages; 2010 (2005)
Paperback, 189 pages; 2006
Members' Price (UD3622): $8.46

  The life of Caravaggio is the closest thing we have to the myth of the sinner-saint, the street tough, the martyr, the killer, the genius—the myth that, in these jaded and secular times, we are almost ashamed to admit that we still long for, and need.

  In Caravaggio, Francine Prose writes about Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's life and work with brilliance and verve, perfectly befitting the wildly passionate sixteenth- and seventeenth-century master painter. She spins rousing yarns about his tempestuous behavior and brusque humor, and insightfully analyzes his revolutionary artistic ability to convey "the paradoxical ordinariness of a miracle." It's all very engaging stuff! While reading this scintillating art lesson/biography, believe me, you'll want to take an attentive look at all the paintings Prose perceptively describes--so we're offering Art Classics: Caravaggio, an exquisite yet compact (6¾"x8¼") collection of his masterpieces. (CH)