The Fortune Teller Analysis

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Recommended: Renaissance period art

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was an influential Italian painter who

combined his technique of shadowing to emphasize lighter areas with the focus on the physical and

emotional state of his characters to create dramatic works of art. Through Caravaggio's painting of The

Fortune Teller, he is able to capture the realism of the characters and their encounter to leave a natural

feeling for the observer. This effect of Renaissance realism of the painting tells a tale about the

characters. Caravaggio is also able to express his own form of individualism through the work of art, as

his leap towards uniqueness and style made it stand out. Lastly, Caravaggio through the painting has

been able to depict the reality and …show more content…

This realistic and natural activity that occurs on a daily basis is captured by Caravaggio. This

dynamic of naturalism contributes to the Renaissance movement with regards to the real. The Fortune

Teller portrays a sense of deception that has been witnessed in person; observed as it happened from a

naturalistic view and then altered the characters slightly to enhance its dramatic appeal. The Fortune

Teller portrays Caravaggio's importation of fresh new naturalistic ideas from the North into Rome.2 The

main scope of the Renaissance was to bring out new ideas and build on old ones. Through The Fortune

Teller, Caravaggio incorporates two ideas together with naturalism and realism. In the painting there is

a well dressed young man, who as a result of being young is unaware of the dangers of the world. He

has no experience of life and is letting his appeal for the gypsy cloud his judgement. He gives his hand

to the young woman who he is attracted to so that she can read his future. Based on secular ideas and

realism, the young woman cannot look into the future and is using it as a ploy to distract the …show more content…

This means that the observer does not only

see two people as they are, but instead an everyday story about them. There is no specific time or place

that takes away the observers' attention, the painting is of just two ordinary people living out an

ordinary encounter. This gives the observer a sense of connection as well as visual pleasure because

they could possibly have encounters like this on their own. Caravaggio's use of raking light and deep

shadow is dramatic and original.7 Caravaggio with the colour and shading gives an almost satisfying

effect for the observer. The colour tones of the skin, clothes with the background blend well together.

This colour effect with the size of the two characters makes the painting seem realistic. The dark shade

on the gypsy and the lighter shade on the young man also depicts a sense of evil versus good. The

gypsy is up to no good, and the young man seems innocent to her intentions. The uniqueness of these

effects makes the painting looking extremely realistic. Caravaggio with this effect appeases

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