In a very useful and generally reliable study, Michael Kitson restricted his catalogue of the master's oeuvre to the paintings that were mentioned by literary sources. Questioning the authenticity of the 'Christ on the Mount Olives', Kitson refers not only to the style of the paintingand the lack of any reference to it in 17th century sources, but also to 'the absence of copies...of a work by a painter so famous and so widely imitated.' The implication is that copies, which hitherto have not been considered with much care or detail, might provide evidence as to the authenticity of paintings, and that this evidence might be comparable in reliability with that of literary sources.
This study by Moir is based on a survey, made over several years, of painted and drawn copies and of prints after Caravaggio's pictures. It consists of a text-essay and three appendices. In the essay, Moir has attempted to formulate answers to important questions about identifying Caravaggio's work, and to establish the principles underlying the practice and dissemination of copies after Caravaggio.
Appendix I incorporates the raw findings of the survey of the copies. In outline form, this appendix includes copies after both existent and lost works by Caravaggio. It is accompanied by extensive notes, including comments on the copies and on the originals, and presenting much correlative material. Most of the illustrations have been chosen for simple documentary reasons, with preference for unpublished copies and variants, and for works demonstrating hitherto unrecognized relations.
This study by Moir is based on a survey, made over several years, of painted and drawn copies and of prints after Caravaggio's pictures. It consists of a text-essay and three appendices. In the essay, Moir has attempted to formulate answers to important questions about identifying Caravaggio's work, and to establish the principles underlying the practice and dissemination of copies after Caravaggio.
Appendix I incorporates the raw findings of the survey of the copies. In outline form, this appendix includes copies after both existent and lost works by Caravaggio. It is accompanied by extensive notes, including comments on the copies and on the originals, and presenting much correlative material. Most of the illustrations have been chosen for simple documentary reasons, with preference for unpublished copies and variants, and for works demonstrating hitherto unrecognized relations.
