What was on Caravaggio's mind when he painted Narcissus?

analysis of the colors, texture, art techniques

What was on Caravaggio's mind when he painted Narcissus?
This is an early work and knowing Caravaggio he would have had buggery on his mind!





The figure is posed so as to evoke a poetic theme and the artist apparently used friends and aquaintences to model as he couldn't afford paid models. We are looking down on the figure and his reflection (probably a mirror on the studio floor) and the viewer appears close to him in the picture's imaginary space. The artist would have probably been close to the model also. Caravaggio stages manages the athmosphere with light and dark to produce a dramatic scene.Employing dramatic naturalism, Caravaggio places the lone figure in a strong, clear light, close to the frame to bring the viewer from the real world to this mythological event. Narcissus’ hand is about to cup the water. The artist probably painted directly on the canvas without preliminary drawings.





As is often the case in Caravaggio’s works, the scene is shown at the height of the action, an instant before the drama: Narcissus has just leant down to drink (his right hand is already in the water, ready to take it up), when he notices his reflection and falls hopelessly in love with it. An instant later, the tragedy will take place.





As in other works by Caravaggio, the composition is extraordinarily original with the invention of the double figure hinged around the brightly lit knee acting as the fulcrum. Another entirely new element is the general concept of the painting, quite different from any previous works, which sets the scene in luxuriant landscapes filled with light, and including various details of the story: Echo the nymph, the flowers by the waterside, the dog, the deer, and the quiver with the arrows, symbols of Narcissus the hunter. The total absence of any references in this painting focuses attention on the drama of Narcissus, revealing the artist’s clear intention to capture the very essence of Ovid’s text.





The painting has a wide tonal range
Reply:Don't know for sure but maybe this website will help. It seems they are not even sure it was Caravaggio. You need to mention Caravaggio's use of tenebrism, or dramatic, selective illumination of form out of deep, dark shadow. He uses a brutally realistic style that shocked the religious peoples of the day. For example, St. Matthew was portrayed as a large, rough hewn character with his big feet splayed out. Nevertheless he was popular and many artists copied him.
Reply:Knowing what I do about Caravaggio's personal life my answer here would inevitably get deleted. Heh heh heh!