Caravaggio and His Legacy on Display at the Wadsworth in Hartford

Artists are often short-tempered brawlers. Caravaggio (1571-1610), whose legacy comes into focus for the first time in a quarter-century when Burst of Light opens at the Wadsworth, fought quite a bit; he's said to have traveled around with an armed servant, and even reputedly killed a young man in 1606, necessitating a hasty retreat to Rome (the Pope put a bounty on his head). Caravaggio's art, meanwhile, contrasts light and dark, without much in between. Burst of Light also showcases roughly 30 works by members of the "Caravaggisti," including Gentileschi, Ribera, Zurbarán (his Saint Serapion, from 1628, is pictured above) and Sweerts. The exhibit ends June 16.

By Michael Hamad

March 4, 2013