New book on Caravaggio in Malta

Caravaggio's paintings, done some 400 years ago, are not only still being admired by hundreds who visit St John's Co-Cathedral every day but are still being avidly studied.

David Stone, an associate professor of art history at the University of Delaware in the United States, has been to Malta countless times and has written several papers about Caravaggio's paintings.

"I've spent hours looking at them. I even see them in my sleep, yet each time I come here, I see something new," Prof. Stone said.

A new book, Caravaggio: Art And Knighthood In Malta, which Prof. Stone co-authored with Keith Sciberras, will be published by Midsea Books shortly.

But apart from this book, research on Caravaggio is an ongoing affair for Prof. Stone, who plans to write another book, this time a specialist one aimed at academics.

He has also written articles on Caravaggio for Melita Historica, the Burlington Magazine, the world's leading monthly publication devoted to the fine and decorative arts, and a host of other journals.

As Caravaggio was quite a prolific artist, I asked what was so special about the Maltese paintings.

"Their interest lies in part in the fact that he was painting in isolation. He was cut off from the mainstream art of Rome and Naples, and he is responding to the severe architecture of bastions and fortifications he saw around him. This is clearly reflected in the austerity of the beheading," Prof. Stone said.

But hasn't enough been written about Caravaggio now, I interject.

"There's still a lot to discover. A paper that I will publish shortly deals with the interpretation of the signature. It's a revolutionary signature. He never did it before. I believe it had a lot to do with his nobility. There is a political context to it, and there is what I call Baroque poetics, his need to demonstrate his ingeniousness. But I don't want to reveal too much of my forthcoming paper," he said.

"What I am doing now is different as I am doing research in the archives of the Order and I am focusing on the social context in which Caravaggio lived and from there, I am trying to see how this might have influenced his work," Prof. Stone said.

He thinks that too much attention has been paid to the "violence" in the beheading.

"Caravaggio painted tranquil pieces too. The beheading shows controlled violence. There is nothing chaotic in it. The Knights lived with duels, brawls and fights and I feel that the violent aspect of the beheading has been blown way out of proportion."

He also thinks that the painting may have had a particular significance for the Knights.

"St John was the first fallen knight. If you see the setting of the Oratory at St John, the painting was hanging over a cemetery."

Another aspect that makes the painting unique is the technique used.

"The beheading starts a new trend of thinly painted works of art. The scale of the painting must have dictated it. He does not use layer upon layer of paint. He must have liked the effect as he used it in smaller paintings he did afterwards," Prof. Stone said.

"Whatever is said and irrespective of how many times the paintings have been photo-graphed, they have to be seen in their context. The Oratory provides a perfect setting. People should make it a point to go and see it from time to time," he said.