Posner Donald 01011971 Caravaggios Homoerotic Early Works in Art Quarterly

About this time of yr, several years ago, I was assigned my accented favorite project in graduate school. I was required to read every single published work about one work of art, in lodge to trace the artwork'due south historiography. I ultimately decided to inquiry Caravaggio's Male child Bitten by a Lizard (c. 1594).

Soon after I began to enquiry my topic, I discovered that at that place are actually ii versions of this painting – and both are attributed to Caravaggio. One version (shown left) hangs in the National Gallery in London, and the other (shown beneath, right) is in the Fondazione Roberto Longhi in Florence.  Several connoisseurs argued over the authenticity of the paintings during the 20th century, but that debate essentially concluded in 1992 (when Denis Mahon asserted that both examples are original, although he thinks that the Florence version was painted several years earlier than the London version).^ane

The most interesting thing I learned from my research project, however, was that one unmarried article tin can forever change the shape of discourse (for improve or for worse). In 1971, Donald Posner wrote a seminal article on the human-erotic nature of Caravaggio'southward early on paintings.² Posner argued that Boy Bitten past a Lizard is one of the most pronounced homosexual characters painted by Caravaggio. He finds the boy in this painting to appear sensuous, androgynous, and seductive (as suggested by the off-the-shoulder robe). Since that 1971 article, just well-nigh everyone has latched onto this homo-erotic theory and it nevertheless remains (mostly) undisputed.

What is interesting to me, though, is that no one (not even Caravaggio's contemporary biographers) ever mentioned annihilation well-nigh homosexuality or effeminate characteristics until 1971. If this was such a key part of Caravaggio's work, why was it unmentioned (perhaps unnoticed?) for centuries? I think that "Posnerian" scholars take imposed a 20th century perspective on this painting, and we need to rethink some of the human-erotic interpretations of Caravaggio's work. Creighton Gilbert also has come to this conclusion, arguing that the off-white advent of youthful men, was long celebrated in society.³ Gilbert argues that it was only during the nineteenth century, with the rise of commercialism, that men no longer wanted to be considered beautiful. The life of the artistocrat was non considered a social ideal anymore, for information technology was replaced by work ethic. With this change, men (peculiarly those of the center grade) began to insist on their departure from women, which not only changed clothing, merely as well changed other social norms (such as men kissing or crying).

From a historical (and historiographic!) perspective, I think that Gilbert'south argument makes a lot of sense. I likewise like much of Gilbert'southward argument that this painting has roots in classicism. Gilbert finds that Boy Bitten past a Cadger was inspired by a Latin poem which was popular during the time of Caravaggio: O treacherous boy, spare the lizard creeping toward you; information technology wants to die in your fingers. The elements in this painting indicate towards this poem, including the bare shoulder, which recalls classical antiquity (instead of homosexuality, every bit interpreted by Posner).

What practise people think? What was your immediate reaction upon seeing this painting for the first fourth dimension? (Did you think that the subject area was "effeminate" or only "classical"?) Are we so entrenched in homo-erotic theory that it is difficult to examine this painting in any other mode?

P.Southward. This post was indirectly inspired past the ongoing competition at 3 Pipe Trouble. People tin can submit a composition about Caravaggio in order to win a re-create of Andrew Graham-Dixon's new book, Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane. Last night I was thinking upwards words that rhymed with "lizard," and decided I besides meliorate write a Boy Bitten past a Lizard post.


ane Meet Keith Christiansen and Denis Mahon, "Caravaggio's Second Versions," The Burlington Magazine 134, no. 1073 (August 1992): 502-04.

ii Donald Posner, "Caravaggio's Homo-Erotic Early on Works," Art Quarterly 34 (1971): 301-324.

three Creighton E. Gilbert, Caravaggio and His Ii Cardinals (University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State Academy Press, 1995).

jacksonhationers.blogspot.com

Source: http://albertis-window.com/2010/09/boy-bitten-by-a-lizard-posner-vs-gilbert-2/

Share this post