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Judith and Holofernes
Narciso
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Judith and Holofernes
Narciso
Saint Francis in meditation
La Fornarina
Portrait of Henry VIII
Portrait of Pope Urban VIII Barberini - Painting
Portrait of Stefano IV Colonna
The Triumph of Divine Providence and the fulfillment of its ends under the pontificate of Urban VIII
Square staircase
Helical staircase
Allegory of Divine Wisdom
Portable tabernacle with the Pietà, scenes of saints and martyrs
Baptism of Christ
St. Mary Magdalene
Portrait of Urban VIII
Portrait of Beatrice Cenci
Mystical marriage of Saint Catherine and saints
Stories of the Passion of Christ
Portrait of Abbondio Rezzonico
Annunciation
Portrait of Urban VIII - Sculpture
Madonna with Child (Madonna Hertz)
Deposition of Christ in the tomb
Mystical marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
The suicide of Cleopatra
Portrait of Cardinal Antonio Barberini

Narciso

Michelangelo Merisi, detto Caravaggio

Displayed in:

Barberini Palace

Barberini Palace

Via delle Quattro Fontane, 13 , Rome

Open now from 10:00 to 18:00

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The classical myth of Narcissus knows numerous representations since ancient times, but the version that Caravaggio gives is distinguished by the unusual compositional scheme conceived almost like a playing card: the lower part mirrors the upper one as if the painter had overturned 180 degrees the upper half of the canvas to obtain the reflected figure. A layout congenial to the story of the young hunter, who falls in love with his own image reflected in the water. The stunt of the naked knee acts as the center of visual attraction and the wide puffed sleeve accompanies the gaze towards the hand immersed in the water in an attempt to embrace that deceptive form of the image of oneself, as narrated in the third book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. . The mouth is open: it is the apex of Narcissus' longing who, realizing the paradoxical nature of his sentiment, lets himself die on the shore of that same source.
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Details

Title: Narciso

Author: Michelangelo Merisi, detto Caravaggio

Date: 1569

Technique: Oil painting on canvas

Displayed in: Barberini Palace

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