Form: The illustration of light creates an emphasis through a strong diagonal line that directs the viewer's attention to the group of men. The work captures a moment in time as most stop to listen to what the stranger has to say. The piece is unbalanced as most of the visual weight is at the bottom leaving the upper half of the work almost bare. Tenebrism is used to create drama and spotlight. Additionally, the use of tenebrism defines the forms of the men to help viewers feel like they are a part of the scene themselves.

Content: The subject matter is of 5 men dressed in contemporary 17th-century clothing sitting down at a table seemingly stopping to listen to the two other men who appear to the far right of the picture plane. Two men continue counting their fortune as the others listen in on what these strangers have to say. Some look in disbelief at what is said and one points to himself confused. 

Context: This work was originally started by Caravaggio's mentor, Giuseppe, but later handed down to Caravaggio as his mentor got busy. The work was his first public commission and he was tasked with depicting the scene from Matthew 9:9 where Matthew is called out by Jesus and soon experiences his spiritual awakening. Despite the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent's strict rules on how new religious imagery should be created, Caravaggio still produced the work with his unique touch. Caravaggio bent the rules by painting the religious men in 17th-century contemporary clothing and making them look like common old folk of the time. This led his work to commonly be seen as controversial for being too realistic to everyday Roman street life.

Vocab: Iconography is seen in the hand of the figure that points to the group of men. This hand mimics Michelangelo's depiction of the creation of Adam. Using this information one understands that this signifies that the man holding this pose is Jesus and that he is the "second Adam" meaning he will bring salvation to us all.

Iconography: the study of the subjects and symbols used in visual images 

Form: A strong diagonal line cuts straight through the center of the work with another intersecting it. Tenebrism is used like a potlike to create emphasis and to help portray the figures as 3-dimensional forms. Foreshortening is used most obviously in the nailed man's feet to make them look like they are coming at us. The value scale used is wide as it uses both the lightest of lights and the darkest of darks which creates a strong contrast.

Content: The main subject matter of this piece is a man who is nailed down to a cross that has been turned on its head. The man lifts his head as three other male figures try their best to lift him. One lifts him from the longest part of the cross, another lifts the cross with a rope, and the last pushes up the cross with his back.

Context: This work was made for a private chapel owned by Tiberio Cerasi. It tells the story of the crucifixion of St. Peter. St. Peter as explained in the bible specifically asked to be crucified upside down in order to not insult Christ who was crucified right side up. This work is similar to Caravaggio's other pieces in the sense of the strongly used naturalism. Naturalism is used to depict St. Peter in a very normal-looking way unlike figures painted during the Renaissance. The work was also produced during the Protestant Reformation despite Caravaggio bending the rules to depict his figures as more naturalistic rather than how the Council of Trent might have wanted.

Vocab: The picture plane of this work is practically completely full of the scene that is taking place. This gives us the feeling that the work is in our face and that we are a part of the moment which is typical feeling felt when viewing Baroque paintings.

Picture plane: the surface of the canvas itself 

Form: As expected tenebrism is also used in this work. It is used strategically to create texture and shadowing within the drapery in all figure's clothing. There are many overlapping figures to create a sense of lack of space and distress. The figures themself fill up almost the entire canvas only leaving small amounts of space in the top and bottom of the work. Emphasis is drawn to the main figure through the use of light. Lastly, the main figure is significantly foreshortened to make it seem that the figure's feet are very close to us.

Content: The main subject of this work is a man, seemingly dead, being lowered into a tomb by two other men who hold him tightly. Additionally, there are three other female figures, one who looks down still shocked by what is in front of her. Another cries while looking at the man, and the last who raises her arms in despair of the situation. 

Context: This work is uniquely read by many art historians. After learning about Caravaggio and his personality mainly through police records, many started to interpret his art differently. For example, in this work, some art historians believe that Christ's body is depicted so realistically that Caravaggio must have had a specific reference for it. This being said many point to the fact that he had killed a man and perhaps even used this experience to help portray Christ as even more dead. This is most evident in the visually heavy body of Christ. 

Vocab: Natrualism is used in this work as Christ is now dead and his body is just dead weight. The other figures are depicted struggling to hold onto him as they lower him into the tomb. Additionally, exceptional detail is found in the veins of Christ and the other figure holding his legs making them appear even more human. Christ even has a wound on his rib where the Roman soldiers stabbed him

Naturalism: the faithful depiction of the visual world 

Form: Contrast is seen in the work through the use of soft circular shapes, like the halo or the wheel, and harsh sharp shapes, like the triangles of the crown, the palm leaf, and the iron spikes. Textured is created and visualized through the almost transparent cloth that drapes across her dress. Lastly, there is a very naturalistic use of chiaroscuro to help depict shadows on herself without creating a piece that is too confrontational or bold.

Content: The main subject of this work is a woman who faces us while holding up a large wooden wheel with metal spikes. Her other hand is closer to her chest and holds a palm leaf close to her face. She wears a turban-like fabric piece as well as some sort of crown circled by a large golden ring that encompasses her head. 

Context: In this work, Gentileschi depicts herself as Saint Catherine. We know this due to the iconography of the wheel with the iron spikes. As mentioned in the readings, this wheel was originally used to torture Saint Catherine before the Saint was saved by divine intervention. Some art historians have read into the piece mentioning Gentileschi's rape experience and how that could have possibly affected this work since she used herself as a reference and still included the wheel. Possibly signifying the torture that she had endured. This piece was ultimately purchased in 2018 by the National Gallery in London which restored it in hopes of preservation.

Vocab: This work, as mentioned in the Sways, underwent different techniques to help the preservation of it. They first examined the work using technology such as X-rays, then they cleaned the work, and lastly, the art conservator painted as closely to the original as possible before varnishing it.

Preservation: the identification of the causes of continuing deterioration and taking action to eliminate or minimize them

Form: There is a lack of movement in the work which truly captures the "moment in time" characteristic of many Baroque paintings. There is also a main diagonal line that leads us from the figure's raised hand down to her paint palette. Chirascuro is used to help create value and depth which ultimately gives the figure a 3-dimensional form. The texture is also very apparent in the precise detail of her chained necklace, the folds of her clothing, and her lace undergarments.

Content: Though there is only one figure present in this work, the subject matter is a woman in the act of painting. She holds her paint palette with her left arm while she raises her right arm and holds a paintbrush. She looks past the picture plain as she views her subject with her long necklace hanging still implying a paused moment in time.

Context: Many art historians have concluded that this piece symbolizes the allegory of painting. This is made apparent by typical identifiers of the allegory of painting like black disheveled hair, a long necklace with a masked figure on it, as well as her twisting body. The work is missing a significant item, a gag, which is also a key characteristic of the allegory of painting. Some historians argue over whether the work is a self-portrait or not since at this time of creation Gentileschi would have been an older woman, not the youthful-looking woman that is shown here. We know that the piece was made by her due to the initials underneath the paint palette. Lastly, historians also believe that this work was made during her brief stay in England where she helped her father with his work.

Vocab: Allegory, as suggested by the title, is used in the work to depict Gentileschi as the abstract idea of painting. She used herself as a reference to illustrate her unique take on the allegory of painting as mentioned in the context section.

Allegory: when the subject of the artwork is used to symbolize a deeper moral or spiritual meaning such as life, death, love, etc.