At the Doria-Pamphilj Gallery in Rome we have not only roman sarcophagi, marble busts depicting the popes or the room of velvet and silk. We also have three Caravaggio's paintings! Being a local tour guide is more than a pleasure to be here, with the visitors who love to stand in front of those paintings made by Caravaggio. Ready to know more about them?

We note in particular the central one, the "Rest during the escape to Egypt", where we see the Holy Family and an angel seen from the back. The whole Caravaggio's style and art is here, in this angelic figure that, wowing this precious rest, plays the violin to the Holy Family. A relaxing atmosphere in which Mary, as a commoner (take a look at her common garments) listens taking care about the Child. And Joseph who, in front of the Angel, is concerned to keep the score with the notes played by the same, almost enraptured by the angelic music. A sense of peace and almost mystical dimension emerges from this painting, which is almost unique for the style, and the training of the master.

Here, as in few other examples in his career, we see how Caravaggio has entered a fantastic landscape, incredibly faithful to the reality in the plants and in the nature that, in general, is the setting for the Holy Family. Among other things, there are those who have recognized, in the arrangement of certain alboree or animals species, a kind of path of salvation. From the nature next to Joseph, a little sparse and dull, the landscape is more lush, visible to the right of the Child. Aside from that, however, it is certain that the painting was strongly criticized by contemporaries of Caravaggio. The adherence to the reality of the Holy Family and the Angel, seen from behind (absolute novelty), in addition to the invention of the episode in question (no musician angel has never appeared according to the New Testament in this moment in the history of Jesus), produced a fierce criticism of the poor artist. Above all, the Angel was the scapegoat of the whole work, so much that it was also accused to too lustful, and pushed for the sacredness aura that the work would elicit.

Despite this, however, Caravaggio managed to get a little revenge (not only because, in the last century, was actually recognized as a genius of art): centuries and centuries later, in fact, Caravaggio was able to redeem himself. As I told you before he was official recognized as a great master, a man who changed the art history (and if you want to read about another masterpiece by Caravaggio, try to click here), but there is something more that, in some degree, was able to redeem his figure. A few years ago a group of musicians, in fact, played the same music, following the notes visible on the picture. Result? Apparently the music is really celestial...