M: The Man Who Became Caravaggio

the pope had granted the accademia di San Luca the annual right – on saint Luke’s day – to free a condemned man.

It was the prerogative of the powerful to betray their servants. You played their game or you played your own. The end was the same.

CUTTING HIS BEATITUDE down to size on canvas and throwing rocks through his landlady’s window weren’t all M was doing on his return to Rome

M got into difficulties. Somebody – and since the client was dead it wasn’t clear who – didn’t like his two paintings.

I can’t swallow Gregori’s insistent proposal of the Toothpuller as M’s and I think M used help on the second versions of early paintings like Lute Player II.