The Gospel According to Caravaggio

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Skrivet av Sandro Magister

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Calling of St. MatthewWho is Matthew in the famous painting? He is the young man collecting money with his head bowed. The television channel of the Italian bishops is revolutionizing the current interpretation. In agreement with a homily of the pope

The painting reproduced above is one of the most famous and admired in the world. It is the "Calling of St. Matthew" by Caravaggio, 1599-1600, which is found on the left-hand wall, beside the altar, of a chapel of the Roman church of Saint Louis des Français.

Who his Matthew, in the painting? The current interpretation – including the one that the visitor finds indicated in Saint Louis des Français – identifies him with the bearded man at the center of the group.

But on Saturday, July 14, in presenting this painting in one of its most popular programs, the television channel of the Italian bishops, TV 2000, gave a completely different interpretation of this. Which would appear new and surprising to many.

According to this interpretation, the Matthew called by Jesus is not the bearded man, but the young man seated at the far end of the table, his head bowed, intent on gathering money.

This interpretation may seem astonishing. But once it is understood, it appears much more persuasive than the other. Even more "caravaggesque." And also more in keeping with the Gospel.

The program of TV 2000 that proposed this interpretation of the painting is entitled "La Domenica con Benedetto XVI." it airs every Saturday and is divided into three segments: art, word, music.

The word is that of Pope Joseph Ratzinger. From the magnificent treasury of his homilies are extracted each time those passages which directly illustrate the Gospel of the Mass of the following day.

But before listening to the pope, the same themes are offered for the enjoyment of the eyes through two or three masterpieces of figurative art, commented on by an expert.

And immediately after the words of the pope, the same themes are again expanded in a musical segment: with pieces of Gregorian chant and polyphony, selected and performed for the occasion.

But let's return to the Matthew of Caravaggio. And let's hear from Sara Magister, the art historian who gave this commentary on TV 2000:

"The scene takes place in the dimness of a courtyard, or perhaps of an interior room. Around the table where Matthew is collecting the imperial taxes are those who must make the obligatory payment.

“Suddenly Jesus enters the scene, together with Peter. His hand is pointing straight in front of him. It is the calling. Someone takes notice of it. The young Matthew does not, he is still concentrating on avidly counting the money. But the light is beginning to illuminate his face. Soon he will raise his eyes and become aware of the call of his new master.

"Many art historians identify Matthew with the bearded personage who with his hand seems to be pointing to himself, looking at Jesus. But more careful recent analysis of the painting has determined that this is one of the moneylenders – with his other hand, he is giving money to one who is taking it – and that his gesture is one of scandal, directed at the young man next to him. As if he were saying, 'Do you really mean him, the sinner, the unclean?'

“The pope tells us in his homily: 'The Twelve Apostles were not perfect men. Jesus did not call them because they were already holy, complete, perfect, but so that they might become so, so that they might thereby also transform history.' And this is what the painting makes clear.

"The sanctifying power of Christ that reaches every situation of life in every time is indicated well by the clothing of the figures around the table. They follow the fashion of the early seventeenth century, unlike the tunics in which the Savior and Peter are dressed. It is also expressed well by the contrast between the richness of their clothing and the poverty of Jesus and Peter, dressed in drab colors, their feet bare.

"The light that guides us in the interpretation of the event is not the weak one coming from above, corresponding to the natural light that illuminates the chapel in which the painting is located. There is in fact another light in the painting, a real and proper flash, bursting powerfully into the darkness. And it breaks in from the outside, from below on the right, or where the altar of the chapel is located, on which Jesus makes himself present in the Mass.

"As always in the religious works of Caravaggio, this light indicates the grace of God that enters suddenly into the life of men, and is capable of transforming it against all human logic.

"The hand of Christ, borrowed from Michelangelo, indicates that the calling is a new creation: from an old man is literally born a new man. By repeating the gesture, Peter is the figure of the Church that echoes the will of Jesus."

Sandro Magister