The world can consider itself lucky for the availability of Caravaggio’s extensive work. As a known outlaw, he was able to utilize his skills as a well respected artist to work himself out of trouble. As a result of this, his masterpieces have somewhat suffered, as Caravaggio was confiscated by the police for allegedly owning an illegal firearm, and in order to gain his release, “was forced to donate his collection of paintings to the Apostolic Chamber” (Self Portrait As Bacchus). Amongst this collection was one of Caravaggio’s renowned work “Bacchino Malato”, or “Sick Bacchus” (Bersani and Dutoit) [c. 1593-1594, image 1]. “Sick Bacchus” is particularly fascinating to both scholarly and informal viewing: it is a self portrait. Phillip Sohm argues in “Caravaggio’s Deaths” that, while self-portraits were common amongst artists contemporary to him, Caravaggio was a master.
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This “personalization” of his heart seems inherently intertwined with his more sinister activity; many scholars argue that “Sick Bacchus” depicts a rather eroticized image of himself. Bersani and Dutoit argue that the gaze of the boy in the painting draws the viewer into a sense of excitement, both through the gaze and the boy’s posture describing "the soliciting move toward the viewer, and the self-concealing move away from the
This “personalization” of his heart seems inherently intertwined with his more sinister activity; many scholars argue that “Sick Bacchus” depicts a rather eroticized image of himself. Bersani and Dutoit argue that the gaze of the boy in the painting draws the viewer into a sense of excitement, both through the gaze and the boy’s posture describing "the soliciting move toward the viewer, and the self-concealing move away from the