This is why the 16th-century painting of Narcissus shows him dressed as a 16th-century Italian, not an ancient Greek. © copyright 2003-2020 Study.com.
There are many paintings of Narcissus, but Caravaggio's is by far the most famous. When Narcissus became aware of her presence, he called out to her, but she was doomed only to repeat his cries. More from This Artist Similar Designs. Other versions report that he was consumed by the fire of his own passion and transformed into a gold and white flower, known today as narcissus, or more commonly, the daffodil. Out of a pitch-black background appears the figure of the youth, leaning over the dark waters in which his reflection can be seen.
All rights reserved. Caravaggio's painting of Narcissus depicts a tragic story from Greek mythology, set over a millennium later in the height of the Italian Renaissance. No, he is falling in love with his own reflection. However, struck by the realization that his love was futile, he fell into deep despair, and according to some versions of the tale, committed suicide. According to The Guardian, the Narcissus fresco was uncovered in the atrium of a house in Pompeii, the site of a number of other important, recent discoveries. In this lesson, we'll see why that is and check out the stylistic and symbolic elements of the composition. This painting is from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a handsome but cruel youth who falls in love with his own reflection and wastes away. The painting was originally attributed to Caravaggio by Roberto Longhi in 1916. The first step to appreciating Caravaggio's take on this story is to look at his style. "[3], Caravaggio painted an adolescent page wearing an elegant brocade doublet, leaning with both hands over the water, as he gazes at this own distorted reflection. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons What is painting but the act of embracing by means of art the surface of the pool?" No, he is falling in love with his own reflection. However, the unearthing of more frescoes at the same site has caused considerable excitement among archaeologists and historians. Careers with a History and Politics Degree, History PhD Program Rankings: List of Top Schools, Learn Effective Communication Classes and Courses, Credit Recovery Is One Way to Reduce High School Dropouts, Why American Students Have Poor Understanding of History, Video Production Career Training in Atlanta, Caravaggio's Narcissus: Painting, History & Analysis, Art & Architecture of the Ancient Middle East, Ancient South American Art & Architecture, MTTC Social Studies (Elementary) (105): Practice & Study Guide, UExcel Introduction to Philosophy: Study Guide & Test Prep, Mennonites: History, Definition & Culture, The Dutch Reformed Church: History & Beliefs, The Ecumenical Council of Churches: Definition & Overview, The History of Jesus Christ: Life & Facts, Quiz & Worksheet - The 20th Century's Ecumenical Movement, Quiz & Worksheet - Instrument Families of the Orchestra, Quiz & Worksheet - Characteristics of Major and Minor Keys, AP Music Theory: Rhythm, Meter, and Metric Organization, CPA Subtest IV - Regulation (REG): Study Guide & Practice, CPA Subtest III - Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR): Study Guide & Practice, ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner: Study Guide & Practice, Top 50 K-12 School Districts for Teachers in Georgia, Finding Good Online Homeschool Programs for the 2020-2021 School Year, Coronavirus Safety Tips for Students Headed Back to School, Parent's Guide for Supporting Stressed Students During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Ramon Barba: Biography, Contributions & Inventions, Effects of Development on Physiology & Pathophysiology, Implementing Risk Stratification in Clinical Practice, Evaluating the Impact of Clinical Nursing Specialist Practice on Systems of Care, Quiz & Worksheet - Paleolithic Period Weapons, Quiz & Worksheet - Situational Crime Prevention, Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics, Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate, Introduction to Humanities: Certificate Program, Professional Development in Occupational Therapy, Quiz & Worksheet - Shaping Behaviors in Psychology, Quiz & Worksheet - Eastern Europe During the Reformation, Quiz & Worksheet - Martin Luther and the 95 Theses, Quiz & Worksheet - Dante's Divine Comedy & Literature of the Middle Ages, The 4 Lateran Councils: The Rules and Decisions, Teacher Retirement System of Texas Withdrawal, Response to Intervention (RTI) in Illinois, California Alternative Teacher Certification, Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers, Health and Medicine - Questions & Answers, Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Photo by ElfQrin CC BY-SA 4.0. When she finally revealed herself, Narcissus rejected her cruelly, and she ended her life in grief and heartbreak, literally fading to an echo of her former self. © www.Caravaggio.net 2017 . | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} Then, one day he passes by a pool of water and catches his own reflection. Struck by his own beauty, he immediately fell in love and remained transfixed by the image in the pool. Stylistically, Caravaggio's composition served as one of the pivotal moments in the transition from Renaissance to Baroque, defining how painters would treat the past and present in their art. Caravaggio's treatment of this scene uses his characteristic tenebrism to obscure the background in darkness, leaving nothing but the youth and his reflection. John William Waterhouse. Caravaggio's friend, the poet Giambattista Marino, wrote a description of Narcissus. Photo by Claus Ableiter CC BY-SA 3.0.
Narcissus is a figure from Greek mythology who was so impossibly handsome that he fall in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. He is accompanied by a dog, which is trying in vain to pull him from his own reflection, and a winged figure, possibly the Greek of love, Eros.
The next question is this: why would Caravaggio want to paint this? Metamorphosis of Narcissus is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí.
His was not the first treatment of this subject, but he did tackle it in an unique way, obscuring the background and therefore any reference to other elements of the myth besides Narcissus' self-obsession. "[4], Portrait of a Courtesan (Fillide Melandroni), The Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus, Madonna of Loreto (Madonna dei Pellegrini, Pilgrims' Madonna), Madonna and Child with St. Anne (Madonna de Palafrenieri), Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page, Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Narcissus_(Caravaggio)&oldid=963384775, Collections of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 June 2020, at 14:42. What Can You Do With a Masters in History? According to The New York Times, the fresco discovered in Pompeii depicts the youthful Narcissus next to a pond, apparently transfixed by his own reflection. Even the lovely nymph Echo could not manage to tempt him from his self-absorption. It is housed in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Rome. credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. The painting also makes a literary reference, as Hockney’s work from the period often does, to the Greek myth Echo and Narcissus. All Rights Reserved. Indeed, Massimo Osanna, Director General of the site at Pompeii, commented that these rich decorations were “pervaded by the theme of the joy of living, of beauty and of vanity”, according to the New York Times.
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