Chasing Caravaggio
Save for Later
Share
Chasing Caravaggio
Tiffany Parks
Available for hire
Are you fascinated by the artist Caravaggio? Perhaps obsessed (like me)? Or maybe you’ve seen a few of his paintings and are eager to discover more. Then it’s time to dive into the dark, violent, and soulful world of Caravaggio.
This list and interactive digital map will aid you in your mission (if you choose to accept it) to see every Caravaggio painting in Rome.
Included in this map:
🏛️ 6 museums
⛪️ 3 churches
🖼️ 2 private collections
📝 Notes on each location with a list of paintings to see
🎨 Artistic commentary on the paintings
🛑 Helpful tips such as unexpected closing days and advanced booking requirements
Be sure to save ✅ this map for future use!
If you’d like me to take you on a private Chasing Caravaggio tour, where we follow the footsteps of Caravaggio around Rome, seeing not only his art but the places he lived, worked, and got into trouble, drop me a line:
IG @tiffanyparksrome
📧 tiffanyparksrome@gmail.com
Updated ago
Save
Share
Often called the "bad-boy of art history," Caravaggio was a tortured, brooding, and violent artist who gravitated to the underbelly of Roman society. He spent his time with prostitutes, pimps, and petty criminals, and they ended up immortalized in his paintings.
But Caravaggio captivates us not just because of the sinister aspects of his character, but because his art was every bit as dark, subversive, and revolutionary as his life was. He painted exactly what he saw, in a form of radical realism that had never been seen before. But those same paintings are also soulful, moving, and surprisingly reverent. Just like his chiaroscuro art, Caravaggio is full of contradictions, and of contrasts of light and dark. No other artist led such a mysterious and fascinating life and no other artist created such brutally honest paintings.
It was in Rome that Caravaggio spent the bulk of his productive years, and more of his works are here than in any other city in the world. It's the only place on earth where you can see six of his paintings absolutely free in churches, and dozens more in museums across town. If you too are a Caravaggio-chaser, or are ready to become one, follow this map to find every single one of his Roman paintings.
Borghese Gallery
@tiffanyparksrome
Marvel at the Sick Bacchus, a self-portrait Caravaggio made when he was languishing in a hospital at only 22. Admire the Madonna dei Palafrenieri, a painting that was meant to adorn an altar in St. Peter's Basilica but was rejected because of the Virgin Mary's scandalous cleavage and a too-old-to-be-naked Christ Child. Be seduced by the languorous and provocative Boy with a Basket of Fruit.
Thanks to the unscrupulous art-collecting methods of Scipione Borghese, this is the largest collection of Caravaggio works under one roof.
🖼️ Paintings here:
Boy with a Basket of Fruit (1593)
Sick Bacchus (1593-1594)
Saint Jerome Writing (1605)
Madonna dei Palafrenieri (1606)
Saint John the Baptist (1610)
David with the Head of Goliath (1610)
Note: Be sure to book your visit to the Borghese Gallery well in advance. Tickets sell out as far as 3-4 weeks in advance. If you're not having luck online, try calling instead. There are English-speaking operators and often there's more availability when calling. (+39 06 841 3979)
Add to
Details
Capitoline Museums
@tiffanyparksrome
The enticing and captivating Fortune Teller is alone worth the price of the admission ticket, but the Capitoline Museums offers so much more. In addition to another Caravaggio painting, St. John the Baptist, the museum also houses ancient bronze works such as the famous Capitoline She-Wolf, Hercules, the Thorn-puller, and the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, incredible ancient marble sculptures like the Dying Gaul and Cupid and Psyche, innumerable paintings from the 1300s onward, intricate mosaic floors, Etruscan artifacts, and incredible views over the Roman Forum.
🖼️ Paintings here:
The Fortune Teller (1594)
Saint John the Baptist (1602)
Add to
Details
Palazzo Barberini
@tiffanyparksrome
Judith and Holofernes is one of Caravaggio's most arresting and shocking works—and that's saying a lot. This museum is a must-stop for Caravaggio-lovers, as it also houses his Narcissus and St. Francis in Meditation. The rest of the collection is equally impressive, particularly the ceiling fresco in the Grand Salon by Pietro da Cortona.
🖼️ Paintings here:
Judith Beheading Holofernes (1598)
Narcissus (1599)
Saint Francis in Meditation (1610)
Add to
Details
Pinacoteca Vaticana
@tiffanyparksrome
When visiting the Vatican Museums, ditch the crowds in their stampede toward the Sistine Chapel and take a detour to the Pinacoteca (picture gallery) instead. This surprisingly quiet and uncrowded area of the museums boasts one of the most powerful and tragic works by Caravaggio, The Entombment of Christ.
The work is full of emotion and depth, and is considered the pinnacle of Caravaggio's mature period.
🖼️ Paintings here:
The Entombment of Christ (1603)
Note: Tickets to the Vatican must be booked well in advance. In high season they may sell out entirely which will force many visitors to purchase tickets from 3rd-party sellers or buy tours. If buying a tour, be sure it includes a visit to the Pinacoteca.
Add to
Details
Buy to unlock full guide
Access all the local insights and recommendations from @tiffanyparksrome when you purchase this guide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tiffany Parks
Available for hire
Although born and raised in the US, I have lived in Rome nearly half my life. For me, this city is a muse, an inspiration, and a constant source of discovery. As a tour guide, I have spent over 15 years sharing the marvels of Rome with countless visitors, and as a travel consultant, I create detailed customized itineraries to help eager travelers discover Rome and Italy on a deeper level. My passion is helping travelers create unforgettable experiences, going beyond the “top ten” sights and truly exploring what makes a city unique: its culture, art, history, food, and people.
My knowledge of Rome is deep and complex: I can tell you where to find the hidden masterpieces far off the beaten track, offer practical tips such as when to visit the Vatican to avoid the crowds, show you how to make the best of the city when traveling with children, and let you in on the Roman restaurants only the locals know! I have also traveled Italy from top to toe, and can offer in-depth advice that will help you craft your dream Italian vacation.
In addition to being a Rome-expert, I’m also an avid traveler. My greatest adventures have included sailing the Strait of Malacca from Thailand to Malaysia, backpacking solo the entire length of India, deep-sea diving off the coast of Sumatra, criss-crossing Europe on a hunt for Caravaggio paintings, and road-tripping down the Pacific Coast Highway with my husband and little boy.
Come with me on a deeper discovery of Rome and other fascinating Italian destinations, or replicate one of my own travel itineraries to places around Europe and beyond.
PS I’m also a writer and a podcaster! Check out my podcast The Bittersweet Life for weekly conversations about the expat life, or read my book, Midnight in the Piazza, an art mystery set in Rome!
What's included
Digital Map
Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby
11 places
11 hand-picked places with notes from the creator
FOCUSES AND THEMES
50+
Accessibility
Backpacker
Couples
Digital Nomads
Family
Plus Size
Female Solo
Car-free
Art
History
People & Culture
Slow Travel
Faith
Format
Map
Maps are simple lists of places often grouped by themes, categories or geos.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What is Thatch?
Thatch is an online marketplace that provides instant access to thousands of vetted local experts and premium travel guides - making it the easiest and most affordable way to take high quality trips with less stress.
For travel creators (tastemakers, travel advisors, influencers and local experts) Thatch makes it easy to curate, publish, and sell digital travel guides, itineraries and personalized planning services.
What if I’m not satisfied with my purchase?
How do I access my purchased guides?
Can I access my guide offline?
How often are guides updated?
Can I request a personalized guide or itinerary?
Can I sell my own travel guides and itineraries?
Save for Later
Share
