Long disputed but now accepted by most specialists as an autograph work of Caravaggio (c. 1597–1599), 'Narcissus' captures the moment the beautiful youth bends over a dark pool and falls in love with his own reflection. Caravaggio compresses the tragic fable into a tight, perfectly circular composition, the upper and lower halves of the canvas mirroring each other as figure and reflection — an austere geometric device without precedent in the subject. The contest between tenebrist dark and a single cold light source, together with the psychological intensity of the self-gaze, marks a decisive step toward the new Baroque.

Exhibition Venue

Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica

Rome, Italy