I really dig this Boy Bitten by a Lizard painting by Italian Baroque master, Michelangelo Merisi Carravaggio. This was probably done between 1594-1596. Even though this would seem a strange scene to capture, can you believe this realism? That expression! That horror! I mean, come on.

Carravaggio was doing an experiment where he was trying to record expressions of intense emotions. He wanted to capture acute fear and surprise. This was a huge undertaking, as he insisted on painting from real life. Those expressions could only be held for so long, before they start to fade.

In his later years, he worked more from memory. They’re still amazing!

However, he was not the first to do this sort of painting. He probably got the idea from female Renaissance artist, Sofonisba Anguissola‘s, [who I had not heard of], Boy Bitten by a Crab.

#art, #artist, #arthistory, #carravaggio, #featuredartist, #painting