Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL
October 25, 2025–March 22, 2026
Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
April 25– October 25, 2026
In Caravaggio’s Light brings revolutionary artist’s Boy Bitten by a Lizard to Florida alongside nearly 40 Baroque
masterpieces from Florence’s legendary Fondazione Roberto Longhi, many never before seen in America
Jusepe Ribera, Saint Bartholomew (San Bartolomeo), c. 1612,
oil on canvas. Courtesy of Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
Featuring some 40 masterpieces from one of the world’s
most revered private collections of 17th-century painting, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity for
American audiences to experience the revolutionary genius of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and
the international artists he inspired.
At the exhibition’s heart is
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Boy Bitten by a Lizard (Ragazzo morso da un ramarro), c. 1597, oil on canvas. Courtesy of Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy.
Caravaggio’s electrifying masterpiece, Boy Bitten by a Lizard (c. 1597), a
cornerstone of the Fondazione Roberto Longhi collection.
The painting captures a fleeting moment of
shock and pain, blending a lush still life with piercing psychological insight. Its intense realism, dramatic
light (chiaroscuro), and theatrical power shattered artistic conventions. Remarkably, this will be the first
time in more than a decade that the Longhi version of the iconic painting will be on view in the United
States.
Beyond Caravaggio, the exhibition charts his seismic impact on European art. Visitors will explore
stunning works by his closest followers—the Caravaggisti—who adopted his bold techniques to create
their own powerful art:
● Valentin de Boulogne’s The Denial of Saint Peter (c. 1615–17): An emotionally charged,
large-scale masterpiece that showcases the artist’s sophisticated use of shadow and narrative
tension.
Valentin de Boulogne, known as Le Valentin, Denial of St. Peter (detail), c. 1620, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
● Jusepe de Ribera’s series of Apostles (c. 1612): Works painted with haunting realism and
dramatic light that convey deep spiritual intensity, underscoring Ribera’s pivotal role in spreading
tenebrism throughout Spain and Naples.
● Carlo Saraceni’s Judith with the Head of Holofernes (c. 1618): A dramatic and gripping
tableau that exemplifies the artist’s masterful blend of Venetian colorism and Caravaggesque
lighting.
● Matthias Stomer’s The Annunciation of Samson's Birth (c. 1630–32)
Matthias Stom, Netherlandish, active Netherlands and Italy, c. 1600—1649 , Annunciation of Samson's Birth, c. 1630-1632, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
and The Healing of
Tobit c. 1640–1649):
Paintings whose cinematic scale and radiant compositions underscore the
Dutch artist’s place among the greatest interpreters of sacred drama in Caravaggio’s wake.
All works in the exhibition come from the collection of Roberto Longhi (1890–1970), the legendary
Italian art historian and connoisseur. His pioneering scholarship in the 20th century restored Caravaggio
to his rightful place in the art historical canon. Longhi’s discerning eye not only rediscovered lost
masterpieces but also assembled one of the most significant and personal collections of Baroque
painting ever formed. Much of this collection has never before traveled to the United States.
“Caravaggio changed painting forever, and his influence echoes through the centuries”, said Dr.
Stanton Thomas, William and Hazel Hough Chief Curator. “This exhibition is an extraordinary
opportunity to experience that revolution firsthand, from a masterwork by Caravaggio himself to the
daring interpretations of those he inspired. To host the Longhi collection here at the MFA is a profound
privilege for our museum and our community.”
To complement In Caravaggio’s Light, the Museum will concurrently present Baroque Continuum:
Caravaggio and the Caravaggisti Over Time. This focused exhibition traces the enduring reach of
Caravaggio’s innovations across four centuries, from the Baroque period through to the present day.
Featuring works in painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture, Baroque Continuum reveals how
artists across Europe and the Americas have drawn on Caravaggio’s dramatic realism, theatrical
staging, and emotional intensity to explore psychological states and human experience in ever-evolving
ways. Artists featured in Baroque Continuum include Thomas Anshutz, Gertrude Käsebier, Edward
Steichen, Dianora Nicolini, Reza Aramesh, and others.
The exhibition design across both shows will immerse visitors in the world of Baroque. The galleries will
be transformed with sumptuous damask wall coverings and theatrical lighting to evoke the dramatic,
opulent environment for which these paintings were created.
Gioacchino Assereto, Samson and Delilah (detail), c. 1630, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
Jusepe de Ribera, St. Thomas (detail), c. 1612,
Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
