Caravaggio: The Palette and the Sword, Vol. 1

Internationally acclaimed Italian cartoonist Manara (The Name of the Rose, Vol. 1) presents the first in a two-volume biography of the pioneer of Italian baroque painting Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The story opens in 1592, as a 21-year-old Caravaggio arrives in Rome to seek work and patronage. His early years in the city are marked by struggle and poverty, which he eventually escapes once his distinctive artistic style—characterized by dramatic use of light and shadow and intense realism—attracts the attention of Rome’s artists and influential patrons. Each new work that Caravaggio produces adds to his reputation as a visionary talent. However, his tumultuous personal relationships, fiery temper, penchant for brawling, and habit of using sex workers as models for religious scenes soon strain his relationship with his patrons, including Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte. In 1606, seeking to avenge the death of Anna, a model with whom he had grown close, Caravaggio challenges her murderer to a duel. Caravaggio emerges victorious but must flee Rome to avoid prosecution.