Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da, 1573–1610

“This year marks the 400th anniversary of the painter Caravaggio’s death,” begins the first note on the brief BBC slide show “In Pictures: Caravaggio in the Frame.”  The Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome is holding a major exhibit of Caravaggio’s paintings, Caravaggio (see also “Caravaggio - A 400th Anniversary Exhibition” and “Caravaggio Stands Alone in New Rome Exhibit”).  The New York Times recently ran a story about Caravaggio’s popularity, “An Italian Antihero’s Time to Shine.” Additional information about Caravaggio and books about him can be found at “Caravaggio” (Times Topics) and on the WorldCat Identities page “Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da 1573–1610.”

Works about Caravaggio’s paintings and Caravaggio as a painter are classed in 759.5 Italian painting (built with 759 Historical, geographic, persons treatment of painting plus 5 from T2—45 Italy, San Marino, Vatican City, Malta, following instructions at 759.3–759.8 Miscellaneous parts of Europe).  In the upward hierarchy at 759.1–759.9 Geographic treatment are instructions about classifying individual painters; they have hierarchical force:

Individual painters are classed in notation at country level only. Standard subdivisions T1—074, T1—075, and T1—092 from Table 1 are not added for individual painters, e.g., an exhibition of the work of a Canadian painter, collecting the person's works, and a biography of the painter 759.11 (not 759.11074, 759.11075, or 759.11092, respectively).

An example of a work classed in 759.5 Italian painting is The Complete Paintings of Caravaggio.  Biographies of Caravaggio are classed in 759.5 without T1—092 Persons, e.g., Caravaggio: A Life and Caravaggio: Painter of Miracles.  Exhibitions of works by Caravaggio are classed in 759.5 without T1—074 Museums, collections, exhibits, e.g., Caravaggio & His World: Darkness & Light (“Catalog of an exhibition held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Nov. 29, 2003-Feb. 22, 2004 and at the National Gallery of Victoria, Mar. 11-May 30, 2004”).

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