LOVE and APPRECIATE these discussions as a “Conversation Starter” for small group discussions….the best of social media for all to share out with the world…..

This is a very riveting high-level discussion. I'm going to look at attribution material, because I have a suspicion that the portrait of Caravaggio is interpolated onto the canvas to make us believe the work is his.

I taught in a college prep school for girls called Ursuline Academy. There was a sister school called St. Ursula's, too! Very forward thinking and committed to promoting independence supportive thought processes.

The painting is unfinished as are many final artworks . This explains why "the arrow is painted so lightly " and the direction of the eyes being unsatisfactory amongst other things. Caravaggio worked things out on the canvas not with proprietary sketches on paper if he could have completed it the picture would have been resolved and we would see a very different painting today.

The last great masterpiece of Caravaggio is indeed as intriguing and fascinating as some of his earlier works. There is a expression of regret in the faces of men who have committed the murder but as for Caravaggio's expression it is like reflecting back to his own life as his life is also about to end similar to Ursula's. The detailed discussion in this video is truly very enlighting as this artwork is generating so much of curiosity and public discussion in the bicentennial year of The National Gallery!!❤❤

The King Von of high art! I love Caravaggio’s bad boy self❣️ But Artemisia Gentileschi is my favorite baddie

` Caravaggio one of my favorites. Good analogy; thanks allot.

Interesting interpretations good to hear different points of view but I disagree. It looks to me that Caravaggio is standing so close behind St Ursula with his arm around her that he has been shot by the arrow through her body and that is why he doesn’t look at her as he is in pain from the arrow. There is a precedent here as he painted his own severed head as Goliath on a platter in an earlier painting showing that he identified with the characters that he painted. I would say that he must have identified in some way with Ursula and therefore is not just a voyeur on her situation as person who feels unempowered by circumstances.

Great discussion. It's wild how modern this painting seems.

Excellent! Thank you. The 2024 book "The Last Caravaggio" by Dr. Cooper is a must buy, must read for me. I invite everyone who is curious, who is willing to entertain outlandish ideas, to reread "The Winter's Tale" (WT) with Marlovian Theory and Caravaggio in mind. Be honest. Is "The Raising of Lazarus" and "The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula" hinted at within WT? Is Antigonus dying alone on a beach after leaving a ship and then being pursued reminiscent of Caravaggio's death? WT's date of composition and the date of Caravaggio's death are very near in time. Is the model in the Ursula painting the same Sicilian model in the Lazarus painting? Maybe mother and daughter, like Hermione and Perdita? So, Caravaggio is painting a Sicilian Ursula, a Sicilian princess, just like Perdita is a Sicilian princess? Why is WT overloaded with subtle "bear" references? If Hermione is the daughter of a Russian emperor, then she is a female bear (a bear being symbolic of Russia even in the 1600s). Well, a female bear is an "ursa" in Latin. What does that make Perdita, the daughter of a female bear? Yes, of course, Perdita is a little female bear, an "ursula." Why does Hermione, the ursa, use an archery reference at her trial in front of King Leontes? Leontes has an ursa in the "blank and level" of his sights to shoot her dead with an arrow, similar to the king in the Ursula painting? I could go on and on, but YT is not the best forum. History is full of surprises, and there is quite a bit of mystery surrounding the life and supposed death of Christopher Marlowe. Enjoy.

I enjoyed this conversation between 3 thoughtful women. Thank you!

I like this history

A rather heavy handed attempt to make this all about gender I think. And given it's unfinished I imagine some of the details like direction of gaze would have been revised. At least she's not gazing up at some vision of a glorified Christ holding out his hand.

Great discussion on a wonderful modern painting.

🖤🖤

Knowing that this is the last of Carravagios paintings i sense that he is looking Heavenward to God to have mercy on her soul (and perhaps even his). He doesnt belong in the painting as he is not part of the darkness but the light is enough to see his pleading.

Nice conversation, thank you for sharing!

While ever have their favorites… Caravaggio is my favorite Favorite ❤❤… I always thought the arrow went through the young lady and also hitting the guy behind her.. he kinda has the gray tone as well but I love his work.. and what I love most is his realism realistic paintings I love his color palettes and his courage to paint what he painting during his time because he had some very controversial paintings and so many people did not like him… I know his background and I wished he’d had a better past but you know… I will choose Caravaggio before anyone in fact I don’t and won’t choose Van Gogh sorry 😂 Caravaggio is my guy my favorite artist of all time first. I draw realistically because of him… he inspired me with his paintings. I studied Baroque in 2015 🙏🏽 ❤🎨🧑🏽‍🎨

A problematic painting from many points of view. The fact that all the actors are looking in different directions, the meaning of Caravaggio's expression and direction of gaze, the overwhelming darkness in the picture, where all the faces, including Ursula's are only half lit, and the lack of emotional tension. It might not be correct however to interpret the painting as a statement to the vulnerability of woman. A very interesting conversation from the three of you. More please!

Caravaggio is in virtually the exact same position and same expression as the Jesus and Judas picture. Almost like a cartoon - Caravaggio was 'ere. Big ego like Rembrandt. Interesting discussion, different slant on the painting.

How can a 'curator' not know that the so-called ''metaphorical.. kind of.. light.. of faith..'' appearance of Ursula is only an unintentional aspect of the painting, being unfinished.