Mattia Preti, the painter who followed the footsteps and shadows of Caravaggio

Mattia preti san nicola di bari 1653 Q258 1

Dario Melissano 25 February 2025

Mattia Preti, commonly known as Cavalier Calabrese, was born on February 25, 1613 in Taverna, a small village on the slopes of Sila in Calabria, into a family of wealthy social class. His youth and formative years are shrouded in a certain nebulosity, but it is known that, after receiving an initial education, he decided to move to Rome around the age of seventeen. Here, he began to forge his distinctive style, deeply influenced by the artistic innovations of Caravaggio and the naturalistic aesthetic of the Veneto.

During his career, Preti moved to various artistic centers, including Naples, Bologna and Venice, where he had the opportunity to work on highly prestigious commissions. Works such as the “Baptism of Saint Augustine” and the “Miracle of Saint Andrew” marked a crucial moment in his rise, consolidating his reputation. Over the years, the painter demonstrated an extraordinary ability to integrate naturalism with typical Baroque elements, giving life to creations of considerable visual impact.

In the following years, Preti moved to Malta, where his artistic career reached new heights. Here, he created frescoes of extraordinary grandeur in St. John’s Co-Cathedral, works that testify to his talent and mastery. He died in Malta on 3 January 1699, leaving an artistic legacy that would have a lasting influence on future generations, including artists such as Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena. Preti’s artistic production is characterised by a powerful visual language and an innovative luminosity, which marked an important phase in the history of Baroque art, making him a leading figure in the artistic panorama of the seventeenth century.

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Mattia Preti, the painter who followed the footsteps and shadows of Caravaggio

Written by Dario Melissano

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Mattia Preti, the painter who followed the footsteps and shadows of Caravaggio

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