Caravaggio: Bd. 1: Mit Pinsel und Schwert

Caravaggio #1

by Milo Manara

Spätsommer 1592. Michelangelo Merisi, von vielen nach seinem Herkunftsort Caravaggio genannt, zieht von Mailand nach Rom. In der grandiosen Kulisse der im Verfall begriffenen Ewigen Stadt macht sich der junge Maler mit seinem hitzigen Temperament und seiner Leidenschaftlichkeit gute Freunde, aber auch erbitterte Feinde. Denn für ihn steht, sei es im Alltag oder in der Kunst, stets die Unmittelbarkeit des Lebens, die „Wahrheit“, im Mittelpunkt. Kompromisse kennt das aufstrebende Künstler-Genie nicht…

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Bande Dessinée, Art, Biography, Historical, History

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2015

About the author

Maurilio Manara – known professionally as Milo Manara – is an Italian comic book writer and artist, best known for his erotic approach to the medium.

Reviews

[Cesare Cantelli]

E dire che della vita del Caravaggio me ne fregava davvero il giusto. Sarà per la mia poca e scarna cultura nell’ambito che sicuramente impoveriva il mio interesse. Manara mostruosamente bravo, i volti fin troppo vivi. Ogni tavola é splendida, la storia incastonata in un perfetto riassunto legato perfettamente.
Bellissimo, davvero davvero.

[Jan-Maat]

I picked this up purely because of the cover which said to me Caravaggio: the hetreosexual years. That thought made me laugh a little, sadly it is not the actual title.

This Band Dessine /graphic novel obliges me to repeat my observation, which I have observed repeatedly while gabbling about such media, that the colour palate is dull and tends to brown. It makes me think of going shopping for men's trousers in the UK, where designers seem to have discovered about thirty colours which exist somewhere unpleasant between brown, blue, and grey. I wondered if there was a technical reason for this, are printers telling the publishers, in the spirit of Henry Ford, that the book can be printed in any colours they want, so long as 90% of them are shades of brown? But them I recalled Asterix, and Tintin, and the strong, bold colours of those albums. So presumably then this tendency to brown is something of an artistic or fashionable choice.

Anyway, the opening images put me in mind of a Spaghetti Western, the dusty brown plains of the approach to Rome, cut across by a brown dirt road, upon which a brown ox-cart labours forwards, pursued by a stagecoach (which is a dirty black). Further, on the cart, the young Caravaggio is hitching a lift - that old Western classic, a stranger comes to town. While on the stagecoach are three other stangers going to Rome, in this case, sex-workers. Which again led me to think of Westerns.

The story takes place over a dozen years or so in which the young Caravaggio visibly ages a bit (possibly not as much as he should judging by some of his paintings), searches for a patron, paints, and gets into fights.

I enjoyed the graphic representation of Rome at the close of the sixteenth century, with ruins and triumphal arches peaking out behind medieval and renaissance buildings, the latter a bit broken down, maybe with trees growing out of them.

On his first night in Rome (after a quick semi-fight, and before painting a hasty canvas), Caravaggio goed to a taverna or something like that to drink and eat (and get into a fight), and this bar looks very much like the one in the film "the agony and the ecstasty" in which Charlton Heston as Michaelanglo tells the landlord that his wine is bad, to which the response is to throw it out, inspiring Heston to start again on painting the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel because his first design was rubbish, while Rex Harrison and his glass eye gallop around in armour as Pope Julius II, his mind on temporal matters other than decorated ceilings. Well, that image pleased me, as did the prison which seemed inspired by Escher, or possibly Piranesi, which in turn influenced the design of the inderground stations on the Jubilee line extension in London, deep pits, broken up by numerous floors, connected in this case by steep ladders.

The speciality or interest of the author was the erotic, I would not be tempted to describe this book as erotic,though there is a certain amount of nakedness (possibly more men than women), and a lot of women wearing gowns with necklines so low that it seems unlikely that they will stay up, and many bared breasts and buttocks. Caravaggio is very interested in these, the light on such sights inspires him to plan out his next painting of the Virgin Mary, or Mary Madeleine, or St. Catherine etc. apart from two, all the women in the book are either barmaids or sex workers (or both) and they are shown generally with their pimps and clients. The scenes suggest sexual violence rather than the erotic, perhaps this is a reasonable vision of Rome on the cusp of the Baroque.

An attractive feature of the book is that we see Caravaggio working on his paintings and the drawing is detailed enough that I could recognise a few that I had seen. The book has a bibliography, so I have the feeling that it was a serious project for the writer and he wants to show this to the reader. Also we get to see Rubens and Artemisia Gentileschi. It gives a definite impression of Rome then as a wild west in which you can do what you want provided you have a patron with enough clout.

[Robert]

As an art history buff this one scratched an itch for sure. The racier elements might not be for everyone's tastes but I personally enjoyed the recreation of a stylized Rome during the late 16th century, with all its glamour and corruption.

[Arybo ✨]

3.5

🇬🇧 Beautiful artworks, a little too fast the story. The drawings tell the genesis of Caravaggio’s works, but each painting is condensed into a small number of vignettes. On the other hand, Manara managed to give the idea of ​​the continuous bickering and the continuous fights in which the artist was entangled. I’m waiting for the second volume.

🇮🇹 Bellissimi i disegni, un po’ troppo veloce la storia. Si tratta, più che altro, di tavole che raccontano la genesi delle opere del Caravaggio, ma alla fine ogni dipinto è condensato in un numero esiguo di vignette. D’altra parte, Manara è riuscito a dare l’idea dei continui battibecchi e delle continue risse in cui era invischiato l’artista. Aspetto il secondo volume.

🕯NEWTs readathon August 2018): Transfiguration, acceptable (read a book with a grey cover or with grey on the cover)

[Rod Brown]

In the first half of a two-part work, Milo Manara offers up a fictionalized account of the life of the painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, often known as just Caravaggio.

This young man makes his way to Rome in 1592 and does the bad boy thing. When he isn't partying, he paints brilliantly, using sex workers as his models while fighting with their pimps and fending off accusations of heresy when he includes them in paintings of Biblical events. His passion is his painting, but his rowdy ways constantly get him into trouble, forcing him to finally flee the city in 1606.

Manara is renown for including lots of nudity and sex in his books, and this one is no exception. The pages are beautiful, though the colors are a little dark and muted.

The Fantagraphics edition that I read includes a gallery of Caravaggio's paintings, and they are quite dazzling and distinctive, with bright, photorealistic figures in the foreground contrasted with backgrounds of dark shadows or pure blackness.


FOR REFERENCE:

The Fantagraphics Milo Manara Signature Edition Library, Vol. 1 - January 2025, 76 pages

Contents: Caravaggio: The Palette and the Sword, Book 1 / Milo Manara, story, art and colors; Brandon Kander and Diana Schutz, translators, J. Michael Catron, letterer -- Story Notes -- Bibliography -- Manara and the Maestro [essay] / Claudio Strinati, writer -- A Gallery of Caravaggio Paintings (1592-1606)


The Dark Horse Books edition - April 2017, 64 pages

Contents: Foreword / Claudio Strinati, writer -- Caravaggio, Vol. 1: The Palette and the Sword / Milo Manara, story, art and colors; Simona Manara, colors; Brandon Kander and Diana Schutz, translators; Aaron Walker, letterer -- Story Notes -- Bibliography

[Phrodrick]

Milo Manara’s Caravaggio Volume 1 is a lush, sensual graphic biodrama. The book is a published equivalent to a movie that is better with the sound off. Box after box of great drawings and coloring. Lots of anatomy, male and female and just enough violence to earn a strong parental advisory.

This version of the biography of Caravaggio as an emerging as a painter (roughly 1590’s) who would influence the Baroque style, it is about as deep as the info you might garner from a quick museum walk. The book is more fictionalized and therefore more entertaining. We get the naked people and the sword fights that might be too indelicate for the museum doyens. The women are all fairly conventional modern beauties and Caravaggio’s men are sufficiently more studied to at least suggest the still open questions about his sexuality. Much of the novel is about sexuality in its ‘live’ actors and the artistic merit of this same anatomy when painted for the high paying usually church officials who were the art patrons of this period. These were less concerned with the photo realism or emotional impact of the artwork and more concerned with the scandal of using as models women suffering deficiencies in their personal reputations for probity.

The art of the artist, subject and author carries the majority of the merit of Caravaggio Volume 1. Perhaps because of the costs of this level of visual quality there are not enough pages to carry a story line. Changes in time are rarely noted and the plot, such that it is; is little more than what one could build from successive museum cards.

[Ana Cristina Lee]

Esta novela gráfica es la primera parte de una bilogía sobre la vida del pintor Caravaggio y gustará especialmente a los amantes de la pintura del XVII. Es un viaje al corazón de la oscuridad: a los claroscuros de la pintura barroca y también a la vida turbia y azarosa del pintor.

El guión y los dibujos son de Milo Manara y, como en sus otras obras, el erotismo es central en las imágenes y en la historia. El contraste de las prostitutas posando como modelos de santas y vírgenes nos hace entrar de lleno en el mundo del barroco, lleno de violencia y erotismo sublimado en grandiosos cuadros religiosos.

Los colores predominantes son una gama de marrones y rojizos que se corresponde con la pintura de la época. El dibujo es siempre elegante y sobrio, muy apropiado a la historia.

He disfrutado especialmente con las perspectivas de una Roma llena de restos de la antigüedad y de sus calles espectrales de edificios ruinosos. También hay vistas espectaculares de interiores muy diversos: la taberna, la cárcel, el palacio del cardenal, los talleres de pintura, etc.

En conjunto un álbum muy apreciable, sobre todo para los interesados en la historia del arte.

[Jon Nakapalau]

The life of Caravaggio (C) is presented in this beautifully illustrated GN. The title comes from the fact that C was not only an artist, he was also known as a 'brawler' who was often in trouble with the law. I found this GN captured the inner demons we all have to struggle with. In the case of C there is a question of how his 'brawling' may have prevented him from finishing even more masterpieces - a loss for all of us.

[Ilary]

Avevo previsto che questo fumetto sarebbe stato da 5 stelle, e per fortuna non mi sbagliavo! La storia così come ci viene qui raccontata è molto attinente alla realtà, e le riproduzioni in miniatura dei quadri sono preziosissime. Lo stile sensuale e spregiudicato di Manara è perfettamente adatto per parlare di Caravaggio, nessuno sarebbe riuscito a fare di meglio

[Gabriell Anderson]

Nějak mi přijde, že jak člověk četl jeden tragický příběh o umělci, tak je četl všechny.
Tady je aspoň nějaká ta přidaná hodnota, že Manara to docela pěkně nakreslil a dokonce se držel i na uzdě s pornem, byť pořád je tam odhalených těl až až.
Pokud vás Manara nebaví a nechcete si tohle dát primárně kvůli tvorbě samotného hlavního hrdiny, tak tu nenajdete nic, co by mělo váš názor po přečtení změnit.

[Antonella Imperiali]

L’esordio di Caravaggio, come uomo e come artista, visto da Manara.

Ogni tavola è un piccolo capolavoro, i disegni sono molto belli, i tratti caldi, c’è ricchezza di particolari; i personaggi e gli ambienti sono magnifici, ma la ricostruzione di Roma cinquecentesca è veramente straordinaria (ho accarezzato le pagine...).

Due pecche.
1. troppo veloce la storia dell’Artista e la realizzazione delle sue opere... avrei voluto qualche tavola in più anche se devo ammettere che il tormento di Caravaggio è ben rappresentato;
2. peccato che la storia si interrompa proprio sugli avvenimenti che hanno cambiato il corso della sua vita... e che si debba attendere il secondo volume per saperne di più (questa collana non lo prevede, purtroppo).
Vabbè, la storia di Caravaggio la si conosce, almeno a grandi linee, ma sono curiosa di vedere come Manara l’abbia rappresentata.

4 stelle quasi piene


⛓ RC 2020 - Catena luglio (7)
💬 G.N.
🎨 Arte & dintorni

[iva°]

izvrstan strip u dva dijela ("paleta i mač" i "milost"), okvirno prati caravaggiov život, od dolaska u rim kao 20godišnjaka do (prerane) smrti u 39. godini na obali grosseta. iako prepoznat i tražen kao slikar onoga doba (XVI./XVII. st.), zbog prijeke naravi i problematičnog ponašanja -svađe, tučnjave, provokacije pa i ubojstvo- imao je krivudav životni put. upravo zbog ubojstva pobjegao je iz rima na maltu, ali i tamo nastavlja sa svojim buntovnim ponašanjem, upada u tučnjave pa odlučuje vratiti se u rim i tražiti oprost/pomilovanje. natrag nikad nije stigao, izbačen s broda, umire na plaži, posve sam. njegovo djelo pada u zaborav sve do početka XX. st.

njegov život zahvalan je materijal za priču i milo manara divno ju je iskoristio. iako nisam poznavatelj umjetnosti stripa, niti ne trebaš biti da bi vidio da je ovo vrhunski prikazano. s obzirom da je caravaggio živio u ionako burnom dobu, strip obiluje sočnim prizorima pa se nemoj začuditi ako u istom frejmu vidiš visokog crkvenog službenika i gologuzu prostitutku. ono po čemu je caravaggio bio izuzetak onoga vremena, bio je njegov izbor modela po kojima je radio svoje slike (uglavnom religijske tematike: pozivanje sv. mateja, obraćenje sv. pavla, pogubljenje sv. ivana, david s golijatovom glavom, žrtvovanje izaka, smrt bogorodice (što je izazvalo kontroverze, s obzirom na dogmu), isusovo uhićenje, petrova zataja itd...) - birao je common people, ljude s ceste koji su mu pozirali za uloge isusa, davida, isusovih učenika, marije i ostalih... i time je unio realističnost i stvarnu živost u svoje slike. milo manara je, između ostalog, ubacio i priče o tim običnim ljudima u svoj strip.

izvrsna zabava za jedno popodne, s prizorima koji ostaju u sjećanju.


https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/...

[Sugar Pill]

Bila sam oduševljena videvši da postoji strip o umetniku kakav je Karavađo. Prvi deo, Paleta i mač, obuhvata period od Karavađovog dolaska u Rim i počecima njegove slave u ovom gradu do njegovog prvog napuštanja Rima.

Ovaj umetnik je bio veoma ekscentričan. Bio je preke naravi, nije trpeo nepravdu, ašto je više uspeha postizao, osećao se praznije. On nije igrao po pravlilima. Kao model za slikanje bogorodice uzimao je prostitutku, što nimalo nije odgovaralo kardinalima. Njegove slike su uvek pokazivale previše, te je vrlo često morao da prekriva delove tela.

Crtež Mila Manare je divan i sjajno dočarava Rim u 16. veku.

[Louis Muñoz]

3.5 stars. Great illustrations, and I learned a lot from the author about Caravaggio. Two small quibbles, first, the essay and the notes in the back were in a font and font size (and color/tone) that made that otherwise much appreciated section less helpful/readable. Also, given the long speculations and theories about Caravaggio's sexuality, there really wasn't much about that.

[Metin Yılmaz]

Caravaggio’nun hayat hikayesine Manara tarzında bir bakış. Beklediğimden daha güzeldi. Manara her ressamın hayat hikayesini çizseymiş keşke.

[Dario Andrade]

Manara é um dos grandes quadrinistas de sempre. Mais conhecidos pelos seus quadrinhos eróticos, aqui, neste volume ele visita os primeiros anos em Roma de Michelangelo Merisi, popularmente conhecido como Caravaggio. Na virada do século XVI para o XVII, a arte era financiada pelos grandes cardeais da Igreja. Com um estilo muito particular, sobressaiu-se nos tempos após a Contra-Reforma. Pintor que está seguramente entre os grandes da Itália, foi também um personagem com temperamento mercurial: espadachim, mulherengo, beberrão, muitas vezes levado à cadeia. Sempre apaixonado, capaz de grandes arroubos. Os desenhos de Manara são lindos e apresentam o processo criativo de Caravaggio. Tem pouco de uma análise da criação de cada quadro. Mais do que uma biografia compreensiva, traz vinhetas que buscam apresentar a alma em chamas de Caravaggio. Vale a pena, mas se quer conhecer mais do pintor, é apenas um primeiro aperitivo.

[Simon Chadwick]

Often the illustrator of other people’s stories, Milo Manara has brought his formidable talents to the page once again, but this time as the writer as well. The topic is one of the world’s greatest painters, Caravaggio, clearly a personal passion and inspiration for Manara and one he is certainly qualified to explore.

This first volume follows Caravaggio’s early years as he arrives in Rome to make a name for himself. I confess that I wasn’t aware that Caravaggio’s real name is Michelangelo, but it’s clear why he had to adopt the name of his home town. Manara has opted to portray him as a self-confident man, almost arrogant and dismissive in his dealings with others, although his heroism upon arriving in Rome secures him a circle of friends and, swiftly, a dangerous enemy. His art is quickly recognised for its striking representation and use of light, although the studio of Cavaliere D’Arpino which takes him on is not interested in him painting anything more than decorative garlands, a threat kept firmly in its place.

His hot-headedness coupled with an attraction to a prostitute, Anna, who quickly becomes his subject of many paintings, sets him at odds with her pimp who already despises Caravaggio. But as a muse Anna inspires Caravaggio to greater and greater works of art, although the church, who are commissioning the work, are uncomfortable with him using a harlot to model the madonna. He implores her to change, but her inability to do so pushes them apart, with tragic results.

Manara’s exquisite eye for detail helps drive the story forward, with fabulously painted backdrops of a dishevelled Rome long past its glory days to the varied populace that live there. There is much fiction intertwined in this telling, but that’s to be expected with so many years dividing then and now, and because Manara seeks to celebrate a man of passion then what better way to illustrate it than this.

It is very much a work full of energy and excitement, with Caravaggio’s paintings constantly peppering the narrative as backdrops to moments in time, either as they’re worked on or with the story flowing around them as models, events and circumstances given additional context to their content or creation. I’m not knowledgeable enough of Caravaggio’s work to judge if these are fair representations, but as an introduction to it, and as an encouragement to find out more, it’s the perfect blend.

[Sabina]

Komiks obsahuje oba dva díly, které dohromady tvoří nejdůležitější události umělcova života. Ačkoliv není komiks příliš rozsáhlý, čtenář si z něj odnese řadu emocí. Kromě života malíře sledujeme okolnosti vzniku velkých děl a v samotném komiksu nechybí ani přesné zobrazení jeho děl - jedná se o fotografie jeho děl. Každý jeho obraz otištěný v komiksu je samozřejmě pojmenován a datován na konci každého svazku. Modely stáli chudí lidé z ulice a Caravaggio podle nich vdechl život světcům a bohatým lidem. Modelkou panny Marie byla například dívka z nevěstince se kterou ho pojil silný vztah. V celém svazku nechybí množství odhalené kůže a krásných smyslných žen. Je znát, že je autor mistr erotických komiksů. Reálné obrazy postav nezajdou daleko od Manarových představ a skvěle se doplnují. Perfektní bylo i zobrazení doby mušketýrů a kardinálů. Věřím, že i historické oko zaplesá. Děj není nikde zbytečně natahovaný, vše odsýpá a má smysl. Komiksu nemám absolutně co vytknout a jednoznačně doporučuji!

[David Wagner]

Má příběh jakoukoliv hodnotu nad "tragický umělec zažije plus minus tragické věci a nedopadne to dobře"? No, asi ne no, všechny ty příběhy jsou podobné a tenhle ani není moc zajímavě podaný co se týče dialogů a tempa.

Má to hodnotu kresbou? Wow, hrozně moc. Na Manaru je tu i nečekaně málo marného porna (byť random bradavky atd. jsou furt), přiblížení Caravaggiovi je i přes propast století a vlastní unikátní techniky velmi zajímavý a spousta jednotlivých panelů by obstála jako obraz. Pokud si člověk poladí očekávání tímto směrem, tak si kniha nadprůměrné hodnocení zaslouží určitě a detailní prohlížení jednotlivých panelů či porovnávání s "originály" je fakt příjemná přidaná hodnota.

(jinak historicky je to na úrovni "ale jo, mohlo se to plus minus tak stát a mějme pochopení pro dramatickou zkratku", vlastně osvěžující je také to, že se Manara drží skutečně jen vztahu umělec - umění, jeho sexualita a vztahy nehrají v knize ale vůbec žádnou roli)

[Taija]

Halusin lukea jonkun muunlaisen sarjakuvaromaanin kuin Aku Ankan tai Asterixin. Piirustusten tulisi olla kauniita ja taitavia, ja tarinan jotain muuta kuin scifiä tai fantasiaa. Milo Manaran Caravaggio täytti kriteerit täydellisesti! Kuvitus oli loistokasta, historiallinen tarina mielenkiintoinen ja vauhdikas, pikkasen rivokin. Kauniita naisia, komeita miehiä, miekkailua, juhlimista, tappelemista. Samalla oppi taidehistoriaa. Pakko oli lukemisen lomassa googlata Caravaggion maalaukset, joiden syntytarinat tässä kirjassa käydään läpi (ehkä totuuspohjaisesti, mutta enemmän kuitenkin fiktiivisenä). Ainoa asia mikä vähän häiritsi oli kieli - puhuttiinko 1500-1600-luvun taitteessa näin?

[Roberta]

Mi scuso con la Feltrinelli, ma una volta preso in mano il volume "tanto per dargli un'occhiata" ho finito col leggerlo tutto, lì in piedi in libreria.

Manara ha sfornato un altro capolavoro, tanto nei disegni quanto nella dinamicità della storia.

[Nickname]

I disegni di Milo Manara sono delle opere d'arte senza paragoni.

[Céline Online]

Une histoire un peu rapide mais un dessin incroyable qui rend un magnifique hommage à ce peintre de génie qu'est le Caravage.

[Nura Lou]

Great drawings and nice way to tell Caravaggio's, Michelangelo Merisi, story.

What I liked most was the creative idea, made up but totally plausible, of the painter setting the scenes before painting what he had in mind.

I wished I could see more of Michelangelo's tormented spirit, and less of the crude (way too modern) language thrown there only to make the story sound more real.

A nice reading for both, art and comics lovers.

[Eleonora]

Disegni bellissimi e storia ricca di personaggi, azione ed emozioni.
Le tavole che mi sono piaciute di più sono quelle che mostrano Roma sul fine del 1500 e il laboratorio del Caravaggio.

[Tatiana Malatesta]

3.6

[João Teixeira]

Gostei bastante da parte artística deste livro. É óbvio que tem muita "sensualidade" à mistura (talvez desnecessária, claro, mas enfim, é um livro da autoria de Manara, por isso, é algo de que deveríamos já estar à espera). No entanto, também o argumento está igualmente bem conseguido. A história, ainda que rápida, não se torna confusa e, a meu ver, isso é um ponto muito positivo a favor desta primeira parte da história de Caravaggio. A segunda parte dá pelo nome de O Indulto .

[Rick Ray]

Milo Manara, acclaimed Italian cartoonist with a penchant for making gawdy comics heavily focused on sex, delivers his take on the Italian painter mononymously known as Caravaggio. Manara's own style has strong elements of Caravaggio's - fine, delicate lines, intricate poses and compositions, and a sultriness that remains alluring and unique. Manara has had a substantially varied body of work in comics, much of it featuring some fairly uneven storytelling. Perhaps the biggest pitfall has been the exaggerated use of exploitation themes and flimsy excuses for the need to depict sex, but Manara's primary strength has been his enticing artwork. On the odd occasion, Manara will deliver something more subdued, mature and engaging. Caravaggio is definitely part of that latter group of works.

Perhaps it's because of Manara's reverence towards Caravaggio that leads him towards a more restrained approach, since Caravaggio: The Palette and the Sword exudes depth and maturity seen rarely from Manara. Still boasting the same captivating art style from other works, Manara's take on Caravaggio boasts a rich retelling of the Italian painter's early days of working in Rome. Caravaggio is depicted as a braggadocious up-and-comer, who isn't shy to demonstrate his talents. Still, a humility is present with Caravaggio, as he is shown to to seek modest employment upon his entry into Rome. This first volume focuses on the church rejecting an early Caravaggio masterpiece in Death of the Virgin, a topic that Manara has to extrapolate from shoddy historical records. Indeed, the accounting of events here are fictionalized and dramatic in nature, but there is a plethora of research that Manara uses to serve as the backbone of the narrative. Some changes include a facial disfigurement that Caravaggio receives, though in the written accounting of Caravaggio's life, this event occurs much later.

Don't go into this story assuming the typical Milo Manara comic - it's a fair bit more refined than that. Instead, we get a genuinely intriguing depiction of an Italian master's career, with many of his great works reproduced lovingly by Manara's own hand. It's an exercise in artistic prowess for a cartoonist who has often been mired in more controversial settings, and Manara rises to the challenge capably.

[Anna]

Some lovely artwork, particularly of architecture, though I found it distracting that Caravaggio was drawn to look like a young Richard Chamberlain and all the women looked the same (identical physiques, large mouths, and all stubby little baby-noses; just different hair). It was a little gratuitous in the bare butts and boobs - "But realism! Artists use nudes, and used prostitutes as models!" Yes, but there's a difference between 'model posing' nudity and 'let's take every possible excuse to fill these pages with tight booties titillatingly posed' nudity - you may notice, for example, when the protagonist is treating the grievous wounds of a prostitute after she had her backside flogged, there's not a mark on her (realism??) but there's a lot of emphasis on her supposedly-injured (yet unblemished and bikini-ready) behind.
Story-wise, it did all right showing the not-yet-famous artist's struggle to make a name for himself in the competitive pro painter world, though at times the progress of that felt a bit rushed. The side-story of the relationship between the painter and his favourite model tries to give the story some heartstring-tugging, with mixed results: I felt for her dilemma, but couldn't get a sense of why she 'just couldn't change' - they didn't bother to develop that side of it.
Not a bad beginner's intro to the time and to the renaissance painting world, if you can tolerate the gratuitous nudity and don't mind the somewhat Mary-Sue protagonist.

[Sparrow]

I liked this a lot better than the Borgias comic. I wonder if it's because this story was actually more focused on a somewhat realistic plot instead of gratuitous violence and nudity. That must be thanks to Manara writing the story this time :D There exists the same lack of transitioning and appropriate passage of time; it reads like a series of sections rather than a flowing story. But I don't mind this too much. I was well enough intrigued with Caravaggio's story and was, as ever, awed by Manara's art, as well as Caravaggio's. This was decent historical fiction with gorgeous art and homage thrown in. It's a shame that the next volume hasn't come out for this yet because I'd eagerly pick it up.