Caravaggio arrives in Mesagne for an exhibition on the birth and development of Caravaggio's naturalism

From July 16 to Dec. 8, 2023, Mesagne ’s Norman Swabian Castle will host the exhibition Caravaggio and His Time - Between Naturalism and Classicism, curated by Pierluigi Carofano in collaboration with Tamara Cini, making use of a scientific reference committee. A project of the Micexperience Business Network, represented by entrepreneur Pierangelo Argentieri, and sponsored by the Region of Puglia and the Municipality of Mesagne.

Through the approximately thirty-five works on display, the exhibition aims to present to the public the birth and development of Caravaggio’s naturalism, in contrast to the Emilian classicism particularly popular in Rome in the early seventeenth century.

“The figure of Caravaggio, four hundred years after his death, still arouses great interest in contemporary society,” the curators emphasize. "The exhibition stems from the idea of fixing the path of the great Lombard genius from his early training to the years of his maturity. It will feature some masterpieces from private collections little known to the general public, in particular it will be possible to admire Merisi’s Ragazzo con caraffa di rose and Ragazzo morso da una lucertola and Ludovico Carracci’s Conversione di san Paolo. Caravaggio’s painting also becomes the pretext for a journey into the fantastic season of the seventeenth century where, alongside the master’s chiaroscuro portrayal, new talents flourished and intertwined as they traveled different paths such as that of classicism. A thrill to be experienced!"

"The past six years have seen us collaborate for the growth of the Mesagne area starting with the SUM (Sistema Urbano Museale) project, passing through Puglia Walking Art and Culturare," Argentieri said. "Precisely Puglia Walking Art, which became a memorandum of understanding signed in 2021 by the Micexperience Puglia business network, the Region of Puglia and the municipalities of Mesagne (Br), Martina Franca (Ta) and Ostuni (Br), was born from the idea of systematizing the experience gained from 2018 with two widespread exhibitions(Picasso and the Other Half of Heaven in 2018 and Andy Warhol - the alchemist of the 1960s in 2019). It is our intention, for the year 2023, to continue this ambitious path, with the realization of the Great Exhibition Caravaggio and His Time - Between Naturalism and Classicism to be held in the prestigious Mesagne Castle from July 16 to December 8, 2023. This is a further step forward that propels us into the production of an Exhibition entirely made from scratch with the help of resources and workers from the entire Apulian territory."

“The foresight that has sprung from public-private collaboration today reaches its highest level of credibility. The joy at the realization of an artistic project of such magnitude,” commented Mayor Antonio Matarrelli, “is only matched by the knowledge that this event Mesagne deserves and lives up to it, and it is this a realization that comes in the midst of the great work that together with the network of businesses involved and the Apulia Region we are producing, with the intention of investing in the best way possible the enormous wealth of experience that the city has gained in recent times.”

"The exhibition we are presenting today ’Caravaggio and His Time - Between Naturalism and Classicism’ represents a great opportunity for the province of Brindisi and for our entire region. Mesagne’s is a story that must be known abroad as well, because it testifies how the revival of a city passes through cultural policies. It is no coincidence that after its candidacy as Italian Capital of Culture, Mesagne was given the title of Capital of Culture of Puglia 2023, in order to carry out all the initiatives included in the project. The exhibition was born from the work in synergy between the public and private sectors. In a historical moment like the one we are living, where public resources are less and less, it becomes necessary to strengthen the collaboration to carry out events like this, of international scope," concludes Grazia Di Bari, Councillor Delegate for Culture Puglia Region.

“There could not have been a better way to celebrate Mesagne ’Culture Capital of Puglia 2023’: a major exhibition on ’Caravaggio and his time’ that will put at the center of the artistic-cultural offer of Puglia 2023 our Capital from July 16 until the end of the year. A cultural operation that continues the virtuous collaboration between public and private, strengthens the international projection of Mesagne and Puglia, and diversifies the product and the cultural-tourist offer of our Region,” added Aldo Patruno, Director General of the Department of Tourism, Cultural Economy, Territorial Enhancement Puglia Region.

Caravaggio arrives in Mesagne for an exhibition on the birth and development of Caravaggio's naturalism

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