Caravaggio: The Complete Works Paperback – March 31, 2012

This is a truly magnificent art book, very large, very heavy, very complete. The paper on which the book is printed and on which the paintings are reproduced is very thick and very fine. The paintings themselves and most of Caravaggio's paintings are reproduced here -- mostly in bright, vivid color, many with additional close-up details -- are a delight and are awe-inspiring.Caravaggio is one of the most magnificent of the Seventeenth Centruy Italian artists. His work is exquisite and sensuously beautiful. This is one of the most extensive catalogues of his work in book form I have ever seen. Michelangelo Merisi himself was something of a roguish, mysterious man, and his life proves to be almost as interesting as the paintings themselves. Spike here gives a fairly complete biography of Merisi who was called "Caravaggio" because he came from that small Italian town. After all, there was another Michelangelo already famous during Caravaggio's lifetime so another name was needed for him.The text written by John spike is scholarly and straight forward, but there remain many unanswered questions about this strange artist. While the events of Caravaggio's life are vividly told, the text also explains and illuminates each painting through interesting alalyses. Spike tends to be factual and does not speculate much on the mysteries surrounding this dark figure. If you want to be as much entertained as educated on this artist, you might enjoy reading a "companion piece" of sorts: Peter Robb's "M, the Man Who Became Caravaggio". Robb's book is highly speculative, but a well-researched (and fun) boigraphy that porbes the dark side of Merisi's life that I found very convincing in its conclusions. (Not everyone does, however.)One of the reasons I wanted to buy this admittedly expensive book was because it also contains a CD Rom with the "complete catalog" of all of Caravaggio's work. I was disappoined when I opened the CD Rom because I had expected to find all the paintings themselves in digital form, but there are none on the CD Rom except the cover painting from the book. The CD Rom is otherwise all-text which requires Acrobat Reader (provided with the CD ROM.) But I soon got over the disappointment because the book itself does such a good job of showing this magnificent artist's work so vividly, beautifully, and completely.This is no ordinary art book. You will treasure it and be proud to show it to friends. It is a fine book produced with the most exquisite techniques of bookbinding. Simply Gorgeous!

Great value and large pictures of Caravaggio’s breathtaking works of darks, contrasts and intense religiousness and mythology. Not for the faint of heart.

use it for museum group discussionThe large format used is excellent for seeing the complete painting ,and details too.Biographic and historical background in the text is very useful for finding previously not known details,and topics for discussion.Quality of the pictures, the information ,even the the book's binding is excellent.

The reproductions are excellent. The binding is fine and the cover handsome. The writing is solid academically. I would have liked the book to have had more information on the artist and his life. Much is left to be done in the study of Caravaggio. His life still seems to be quite mysterious. His probable use of optics and mirrors in his work is touched on and needs further exploration. This book provides a good introduction to Caravaggio and his paintings in a handsome package.

I was disappointed that the binding of the book fell off as soon as I opened it.the book itself is filled with valuable information.

THERE BE NOT NEARLY enough SUPERLATIVES to render, sufficiently, justice to the magnificence of this majestic volume of the SUPREMELY MAJESTIC GENIUS, CARAVAGGIO. The CREATIONS offered within to experience in excited leisure simply cannot sate the unquenchable yearning to enter into the very moments he captures with his indescribable genius to create almost literally, warmth, intimacy, immediacy, the passion and the very essence of what he seems to be able to draw us within the moment depicted. This man, I believe, felt deep within his very soul, that which he painted; he is right there among those he painted. This volume presents, magnificently, THE Caravaggio whom one cannot resist truly loving despite his 'human' frailties. I dwell on this volume each day for inspiration to nourish whatever empathy exists within me. There simply is no way I can highly enough, recommend this masterpiece of affordable publication of a MASTERS MASTERPIECES.

The paper quality es superb! And the paintings look like little canvases in your hands, because of the pristine quality imprinted

Perfect book for serious artists who love realist art from the Renaissance period. Big pictures, great historical detail.