Caravaggio

Synopsis

By Richard Vetere.

"Cast: 6m., 1w., extras if desired.

Caravaggio is set in Rome in 1600 when the city was vibrant with artists, powerful religious leaders, the Inquisition and street violence.

A famous painter in his lifetime, Caravaggio kills a man in a brawl and finds a bounty on his head put there not only by the dead man's family but by the Vatican itself.

Cardinal Del Monte, his protector, secures a commission for Caravaggio on the isolated island of Malta while he works behind the scenes to convince the pope to pardon the painter.

Caravaggio paints the portrait of the Grand Master of the Knights, learning that the powerful man has one thing on his mind and that is to save Caravaggio's wretched soul.

Tortured, Caravaggio escapes, racing to Naples where he finds refuge with his arch artistic nemesis, the famous Annibale Carracci.

What Caravaggio doesn't know is that his competitor, Carracci, suffers from an inability to create.

Visited by his lover, Francesco, and his model and lover, Lena, and with his life hanging in the balance, Caravaggio finds in his exile inspiration that makes him create a dynamic change in art.

Through his suffering and his search for God, he creates the style of art we now call Baroque.

Unit set.

Approximate running time: 2 hours."--Publisher's website.