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Caravaggio: Painter on the Run
Caravaggio was on a defiant mission to change the art world. Before him, there were pastel-colored idealized visions, polite paintings for a polite society. After him, there were slews of imitators, trying to grasp his brilliant slashes of light and dark, his people who looked more like your neighbor than a model of perfection. Bold with his brush, the young rebel was equally brash in his life, picking fights and getting arrested for things as silly as throwing a plate of artichokes in a waiter's face. Until he faced the ultimate punishment, condemned for a murder he didn't commit – at least not intentionally.
345 pages, Hardcover
Published October 11, 2016
3 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Marissa Moss
115 books263 followersMarissa Moss has written more than seventy books, from picture books to middle-grade and young adult novels. Best known for the Amelia's Notebook series, her books are popular with teachers and children alike. Her picture book Barbed Wire Baseball won the California Book Award gold medal. Moss is also the founder of Creston Books, an independent children's publishing house.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 27, 2017
My long fascination with Caravaggio - his life, his art, his end - has lead me to this work by Marissa Moss.
Caravaggio's story begins with the artist in Rome where he comes under the patronage of the powerful Cardinal Francesco Maria Bourbon del Monte. His use of everyday folk as his subject matter causing controversy as does his penchant for street brawling (for which he is constantly imprisoned).
It is only towards the latter years of his short life that Caravaggio gets a papal commission to paint in St Peters. But less than a year later, he is forced to flee Rome, eventually becoming a Knight of Malta. His departure for Rome in 1610 is shrouded in mystery as is his death aged 38yo.
Moss puts forth a compelling story that keeps the reader entertained with the antics of this notorious Renaissance artist.
Caravaggio's story begins with the artist in Rome where he comes under the patronage of the powerful Cardinal Francesco Maria Bourbon del Monte. His use of everyday folk as his subject matter causing controversy as does his penchant for street brawling (for which he is constantly imprisoned).
It is only towards the latter years of his short life that Caravaggio gets a papal commission to paint in St Peters. But less than a year later, he is forced to flee Rome, eventually becoming a Knight of Malta. His departure for Rome in 1610 is shrouded in mystery as is his death aged 38yo.
Moss puts forth a compelling story that keeps the reader entertained with the antics of this notorious Renaissance artist.
December 8, 2016
Caravaggio: Painter on the Run, Marissa Moss. ITALY, Roma. late 1500s.
Having recently returned from Rome, we saw many Caravaggio masterpieces which were stunning with his ability to contrast light, color, shadow. From having read a novel a few years back, I knew Caravaggio was an explosive character with an overwhelming artistic talent. This book couples his personality and achievements in a most readable way.
Having recently returned from Rome, we saw many Caravaggio masterpieces which were stunning with his ability to contrast light, color, shadow. From having read a novel a few years back, I knew Caravaggio was an explosive character with an overwhelming artistic talent. This book couples his personality and achievements in a most readable way.
October 17, 2024
Funny story how I wound up reading this, actually. I had borrowed this book along with Drawing lessons from the great masters (1964) by Robert Beverly Hale to study painters from older time periods, and borrowed this thinking it was a lookback on Caravaggio's work. However, I found out that this was actually a fictionalized account of Caravaggio's life, and because I was now borrowing it, well.. I decided to read it.
The author clearly poured a lot of time and energy in researching this book. I learned a lot about Caravaggio's life and the context of 1600s Rome at the time. I didn't know how much the church had control over the painting world back then, so the work expounding upon this was great.
I do think the subject matter and writing style sort of clash, however. On one hand the simpler, young adult writing style helped me blaze through this book and was helpful on understanding the more complicated topics of 1600s Rome. On the other hand, Caravaggio's lifestyle was so rough and tumble, from watching public executions to witnessing the death of a former lover and painting decapitated heads, feels at odds with the writing's younger style of prose. We go from witnessing a man burn alive to Caravaggio calling a man a slice of baloney in a made-up song, and it feels odd, though I imagine for readers of the YA variety this would feel right at home for them.
Despite the darker topics presented (and my own nitpicks) I would also recommend this as a good read for teenagers if they wanted to learn about Caravaggio - the whole time reading this I was thinking "this feels like a book I'd read for middle school.." in a good way! I could easily see this being a made-for-TV movie I'd watch for school, and that made me happy. I think the only thing hurting this book for a younger audience is the character of Caravaggio - it's hard to care for him due to his egotism and uncontrollable tempers (there's a line where he admits having to restrain himself from hitting a woman giving honest critique, and that's.. yikes).
I did also feel that it lagged at certain points, going into a rhythm of "Caravaggio gets a badass commission -> Caravaggio paints -> Caravaggio goes out to celebrate and get drunk" that made it harder for me to get through, but I understand that might be a limitation of being historical fiction. The tone and prose is also on the dry side of things for my liking, but again, that's me, a twenty-nine year old's take on a book possibly written for teenagers.
The author clearly poured a lot of time and energy in researching this book. I learned a lot about Caravaggio's life and the context of 1600s Rome at the time. I didn't know how much the church had control over the painting world back then, so the work expounding upon this was great.
I do think the subject matter and writing style sort of clash, however. On one hand the simpler, young adult writing style helped me blaze through this book and was helpful on understanding the more complicated topics of 1600s Rome. On the other hand, Caravaggio's lifestyle was so rough and tumble, from watching public executions to witnessing the death of a former lover and painting decapitated heads, feels at odds with the writing's younger style of prose. We go from witnessing a man burn alive to Caravaggio calling a man a slice of baloney in a made-up song, and it feels odd, though I imagine for readers of the YA variety this would feel right at home for them.
Despite the darker topics presented (and my own nitpicks) I would also recommend this as a good read for teenagers if they wanted to learn about Caravaggio - the whole time reading this I was thinking "this feels like a book I'd read for middle school.." in a good way! I could easily see this being a made-for-TV movie I'd watch for school, and that made me happy. I think the only thing hurting this book for a younger audience is the character of Caravaggio - it's hard to care for him due to his egotism and uncontrollable tempers (there's a line where he admits having to restrain himself from hitting a woman giving honest critique, and that's.. yikes).
I did also feel that it lagged at certain points, going into a rhythm of "Caravaggio gets a badass commission -> Caravaggio paints -> Caravaggio goes out to celebrate and get drunk" that made it harder for me to get through, but I understand that might be a limitation of being historical fiction. The tone and prose is also on the dry side of things for my liking, but again, that's me, a twenty-nine year old's take on a book possibly written for teenagers.
March 14, 2024
Warning to parents - this book came to me from a distributing library stickered as a children's book.... This is NOT a children's book. The very descriptive inquisition scenes are enough alone to render it so, and there are also a lot of racy scenes, Caravaggio taking about what he notices about women, about being in bed, etc.... lots of drinking and brawling... So no, this is NOT a children's department book. I'm honestly not even sure it qualifies for the YA section.
History is messy, absolutely. Especially this era of history, people were very coarse and vulgar and lewd, absolutely no denying that.
My takeaway was, I'm SO THANKFUL that I did not have to live during the inquisition period. My 7th grader has recently been going through this in her world history, and it's just shocking and numbing to read about. What happens when one man is labeled god and gets to decide what is good and what is not, what can be painted and what can not, etc... I am so thankful to live now, in a land that is still free!!
History is messy, absolutely. Especially this era of history, people were very coarse and vulgar and lewd, absolutely no denying that.
My takeaway was, I'm SO THANKFUL that I did not have to live during the inquisition period. My 7th grader has recently been going through this in her world history, and it's just shocking and numbing to read about. What happens when one man is labeled god and gets to decide what is good and what is not, what can be painted and what can not, etc... I am so thankful to live now, in a land that is still free!!
January 31, 2025
"Caravaggio" by Marissa Moss is an amazing read! It really brings the life of the famous artist to life with such vivid detail. The way Moss describes 17th-century Italy is super immersive, and you can feel the passion and struggle in Caravaggio's character. The blend of history and fiction is done so well, making it both informative and entertaining. If you love art or historical fiction, this novel is definitely a must-read!
December 12, 2024
I picked this up expecting historical fiction. Initially I had difficulty in getting into the story, but then the story took me in. I liked the mechanism of using diary entries and arrest records to help the story maintain multiple viewpoints. Looking up the art really helped, I'd recommend that, then pay attention to the factusl timeline at the book's end.
June 29, 2020
I truly enjoyed this book. The amount of research that went into it is evident and imagining that this was Caravaggio's life was wonderful. I've never liked his art but will now look at it in a new way, and how the light and shadows play off each other.
July 2, 2017
One of those fantastic books that had captured my attention and prevented me from doing any other activities and hobbies.
Want to read
April 2, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
October 11, 2016
You know when you put up with characters you would normally avoid just because it's history.
I tried. Oh, yes, I tried. But at around page 339, I couldn't.
I mean, come on. Many claim to be honorable men but no one seems to have any real integrity.
Also, although this book is well-researched, I felt like it made one too many assumptions. It would have to because of the lack of definitive knowledge we know about the figures' lives but still.
dnf, dnf, DNF....:(
I tried. Oh, yes, I tried. But at around page 339, I couldn't.
I mean, come on. Many claim to be honorable men but no one seems to have any real integrity.
Also, although this book is well-researched, I felt like it made one too many assumptions. It would have to because of the lack of definitive knowledge we know about the figures' lives but still.
dnf, dnf, DNF....:(
January 16, 2020
I liked it a lot more the second time around
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews