Caravaggio Volume 1 (Caravaggio, 1)

Milo Manara’s Caravaggio Volume 1 is a lush, sensual graphic biodrama. The book is a published equivalent to a movie that is better with the sound off. Box after box of great drawings and coloring. Lots of anatomy, male and female and just enough violence to earn a strong parental advisory.This version of the biography of Caravaggio as an emerging as a painter (roughly 1590’s) who would influence the Baroque style, it is about as deep as the info you might garner from a quick museum walk. The book is more fictionalized and therefore more entertaining. We get the naked people and the sword fights that might be too indelicate for the museum doyens. The women are all fairly conventional modern beauties and Caravaggio’s men are sufficiently more studied to at least suggest the still open questions about his sexuality. Much of the novel is about sexuality in its ‘live’ actors and the artistic merit of this same anatomy when painted for the high paying usually church officials who were the art patrons of this period. These were less concerned with the photo realism or emotional impact of the artwork and more concerned with the scandal of using as models women suffering deficiencies in their personal reputations for probity.The art of the artist, subject and author carries the majority of the merit of Caravaggio Volume 1. Perhaps because of the costs of this level of visual quality there are not enough pages to carry a story line. Changes in time are rarely noted and the plot, such that it is; is little more than what one could build from successive museum cards.

Milo Manara has had a history of writing about or with people he respects (Hugo Pratt, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Federico Fellini) and always does these visionaries justice. Once again he looks at what I guess is his idol and favorite painter Caravaggio. I’ve never read anything about Caravaggio, but I’ve seen Derek Jarman’s film and looked at a lot of Caravaggio’s paintings and Wikipedia. He’s an endlessly fascinating man and I felt a little like Milo Manara was not playing up the theatrics of his sexscapades and violence enough. It felt like he was trying to do real justice and be respectful to the painter. I’m not really sure in all honesty what the deal is, but there are a couple swords and some boobs. Looking forward to the second book and seeing how the maestro wraps up this story about a giant of the art world.

It was fun to follow the interpretation of Caravaggio's story. Very nicely illustrated as well.

This is an excellent graphic novel. The art work is first rate. Story is very interesting.

Received as advertised.

Very nice product. A great deal. This book will triple in value over the next five years

Milo rocks

A good read with great art.

I enjoyed this picture story of Caravaggio's lifeup to the time that he left Rome under suspicion of murder.I would rate it as enjoyable faction, Milo Manara's take on the life of the artist.

Milo Manara eccelso