Marie-Anne Mancio: Caravaggio and the Death of Ranuccio Tomassoni (1606)

In this episode we explore one of the most infamous episodes in the history of art. Writer and guide Marie-Anne Mancio takes us back to the year when the Italian painter Caravaggio killed the pimp Ranuccio Tomassoni in a sword fight or organised duel on a tennis court in Rome. Caravaggio was a sublime artist. He was celebrated in his lifetime for his masterful use of light, the powerful narrative force of his paintings and his tender depictions of the human form. But as a person he was erratic. After his spectacular rise to fame around the year 1600 he was frequently in trouble with the authorities in Rome, as well as with his landlady. Marie-Anne Mancio has written extensively about Caravaggio and she leads tours to locations associated with him and his art. In this episode she ponders what really happened in that fateful, mysterious year 1606. It was a year that started auspiciously but ended with him as a fugitive.  Find out more about Marie-Anne's upcoming tour, 'Caravaggio in Italy', here. Show Notes Scene One: Rome, 28 May 1606. Caravaggio kills pimp Ranuccio Tomassoni in a sword fight/organised duel on a tennis court. Scene Two: Easter 1606. Caravaggio completes his painting, Madonna and St Anne. Scene Three: Caravaggio is a fugitive in the Alban hills. While there, he likely paints the 2nd version of The Supper at Emmaus. Memento:  People/Social Presenter: Peter Moore  Guest: Marie-Anne Mancio Producer: Maria Nolan Theme music: Firelight by Minka Partner: ACE Cultural Tours.