Known as Caravaggio, he was to take Rome by storm. Color and light and the occult were to be his trade. In short, he knew some secrets.
Painting is one of the highest forms of magik in the occult. Caravaggio came to this knowledge by living a rough life. He was poor and grew up among the cons, cardsharps, prostitutes and fortune tellers. He met some painters who had some connections and knew what the elite in Rome wanted in paintings.
Caravaggio as model?“There was speculation that Caravaggio and [friend] Minniti’s relationship was that of a sexual nature. Paintings that he modeled for could be seen as having a homoerotic quality.”
The painting of Mary Magdalene and Martha clearly exemplifies Caravaggio’s knowledge of the occult. Jesus had cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. The painting depicts Magdalene before the demon expulsion by Jesus. Here she is talking to Martha, who is possibly trying to get her to release her bondage to the angel of light in her scrying mirror. Mary Magdalene holds an orange blossom to her heart symbolizing the allegiance to this angel. Magdalene, with her eyes drifting in different directions, rather chameleon like, seems to be in two worlds at once.
Caravaggio also had a knack for bringing the religious to life. In short, it was a way of depicting what Christians aspire to when becoming like the saints or uniting themselves with Christ’s suffering.
The Conversion on the Way to DamascusBefore he died Caravaggio painted the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. It was requested by his patron Alof de Wignacourt, Grandmaster of Malta.
Allegedly, Caravaggio was forced to flee the Island of Malta after injuring a knight. He died shortly thereafter.
