I fully expected a book about a 16th century artist to be dry as dust, but there's something driving me to unravel Caravaggio's enigma. Little did I know that this book was written by...drum roll here -an Australian The aussies do us yanks to shame in the irreverence department, I knew when he used the word 'arselickers' in the intro, I was in for an interesting if not fun read. He found a lot of humor in Caravaggio's paintings for the way he thumbed his nose at accepted subject matter and rendering of religious paintings, which incidentally was practically all he was allowed to paint. I was treated to gem-like concepts and phrases such "counter-reformation slapstick" Also the australian form of english he uses is very playful, I've always shied away from using a double contraction in print but now I've been set free of that phobia. He also pointed out a lot of hidden sexuality in the paintings I wouldn't've considered otherwise. I sure as heck am never going to look at that silly painting of fruit an vegetables without smirking ever again. Caravaggio was the GG Allin of his time, and it still puzzles me how this seemingly brutish character could produce art of such amazing sensitivity that he inspired artists for hundreds of years to follow.
-and another thing I forgot (not that anybody reads this anyway) The painting's titles got boiled down into aussie-speak too: Still Life With Fruit on a Stone Ledge translated into "Fruit and Veg" And the most famous Caravaggio of all, with many names including Love Conquers All, Victorious Cupid, or in the elegant Italian Amor Vincit Omni becomes Love the Winner
