End Notes
Murder, Caravaggio and The Taking of Christ
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[1] Noel Barber, Preface: The Murder Behind the Discovery”, in Saints and Sinners: Caravaggio & The Baroque Image, ed Franco Mormando, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston/ University of Chicago Press, 1999 at 11-14.
[2] Ronan McGreevy, “Retribution and Attribution – An Irishman’s Diary on the Assassination of Percival Lea-Wilson and a Caravaggio masterpiece”. The Irish Times, 14 June 2020 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/retribution-and-attribution-an-irishman-s-diary-on-the-assassination-of-percival-lea-wilson-and-a-caravaggio-masterpiece-1.4278831
[3] (1571-1610). His full name was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
[4] Finola, “Transcending Violence: Harry Clarke’s Sublime Lea-Wilson Window”, Roaringwater Journal, 13 June 2020
[5] Father Thomas Finlay, who was also Professor Emeritus of Political Economy at University College, Dublin: Barber, op cit
[6] Jonathan Harr, The Lost Painting, Random House, New York, 2005, at 147. This is an invaluable general reference on the history of the painting
[7] Sergio Benedetti, “The Finding of a Lost Masterpiece. The Taking of Christ in the Garden by Caravaggio” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review Vol. 82, No. 328 (Winter, 1993), at 385
[8] It celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
[9] Or thereabouts. There are differing views on the actual date, though it appears it fell into the range AD 30 – 36
[10] The Biblical accounts, which vary somewhat, are at: Matthew 26:24–25, Mark 14:18–21, Luke 22:21–23 and John 13:21–30
[11] The shadows recall the shadowed treatment of Christ in Caravaggio’s The Calling of St Matthew. See Katie Kresser, “Obscurity: On Caravaggio”, Christian Scholar’s Review, 29 April 2021 https://christianscholars.com/obscurity-on-caravaggio/
[12] Barber, op cit
[13] In Madonna di Loreto
[14] In Judith Beheading Holofernes
[15] In David and Goliath: see Katie Kresser, op cit
[16] Benedetti, op cit at 387
[17] Yet another rival emerged in the 19th century and was held in the Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Arts in Ukraine. It was of high quality, but following its restoration, it was generally determined to be a copy, and has been embroiled in mishandling, theft, controversy and litigation ever since. Interestingly, in this version, the disciple John’s outstretched left arm seems to be is totally missing. For this painting’s later progress, see https://www.kyivpost.com/post/7373
[18] Harr, op cit at 279
[19] Philip McCouat, “Bruegel’s Peasant Wedding Feast”, Journal of Art in Society (2021) https://www.artinsociety.com/bruegels-peasant-wedding-feast.html
[20] Sergio Rossi, “Caravaggio's Excursus, news on Caravaggio and the Mattei and exclusive reflectographic analyses on The Taking of Christ and on the ex Cecconi San Francesco”, About Art online, 26 May 2021 https://www.aboutartonline.com/excursus-caravaggesco/
[21] As detailed in Harr, op cit; and Benedetti, op cit at 386
[22] Sergio Rossi, op cit
[23] Harr, op cit at 281
[24] Michael Daley, "Art's Toxic Assets and a Crisis of Connoisseurship”, ArtWatch UK, 30 September 2014
[25] Harr, op cit at 263
[26] Michael Daley, op cit, considers that, “The informed human eye is our best ‘diagnostic tool’ in the study of art and will remain so no matter how much money and resources might be thrown into technical studies”.
[27] See for example Sergio Rossi, op cit
[28] National Gallery of Ireland website, “Caravaggio: The Irish Connection” https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/caravaggio-25-years-display/caravaggio-celebrating-0
[29] Robert O’Byrne, “Lovers of art left speechless”, The Irish Times 17 November 1993; see also “Caravaggio: A masterpiece revealed” https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/caravaggio-25-years-display/caravaggio-celebrating-1
[30] Women’s Museum of Ireland website, entry for “Dr Marie Lea-Wilson” https://www.womensmuseumofireland.ie/exhibits/dr-marie-lea-wilson
© Philip McCouat 2025
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[1] Noel Barber, Preface: The Murder Behind the Discovery”, in Saints and Sinners: Caravaggio & The Baroque Image, ed Franco Mormando, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston/ University of Chicago Press, 1999 at 11-14.
[2] Ronan McGreevy, “Retribution and Attribution – An Irishman’s Diary on the Assassination of Percival Lea-Wilson and a Caravaggio masterpiece”. The Irish Times, 14 June 2020 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/retribution-and-attribution-an-irishman-s-diary-on-the-assassination-of-percival-lea-wilson-and-a-caravaggio-masterpiece-1.4278831
[3] (1571-1610). His full name was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
[4] Finola, “Transcending Violence: Harry Clarke’s Sublime Lea-Wilson Window”, Roaringwater Journal, 13 June 2020
[5] Father Thomas Finlay, who was also Professor Emeritus of Political Economy at University College, Dublin: Barber, op cit
[6] Jonathan Harr, The Lost Painting, Random House, New York, 2005, at 147. This is an invaluable general reference on the history of the painting
[7] Sergio Benedetti, “The Finding of a Lost Masterpiece. The Taking of Christ in the Garden by Caravaggio” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review Vol. 82, No. 328 (Winter, 1993), at 385
[8] It celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
[9] Or thereabouts. There are differing views on the actual date, though it appears it fell into the range AD 30 – 36
[10] The Biblical accounts, which vary somewhat, are at: Matthew 26:24–25, Mark 14:18–21, Luke 22:21–23 and John 13:21–30
[11] The shadows recall the shadowed treatment of Christ in Caravaggio’s The Calling of St Matthew. See Katie Kresser, “Obscurity: On Caravaggio”, Christian Scholar’s Review, 29 April 2021 https://christianscholars.com/obscurity-on-caravaggio/
[12] Barber, op cit
[13] In Madonna di Loreto
[14] In Judith Beheading Holofernes
[15] In David and Goliath: see Katie Kresser, op cit
[16] Benedetti, op cit at 387
[17] Yet another rival emerged in the 19th century and was held in the Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Arts in Ukraine. It was of high quality, but following its restoration, it was generally determined to be a copy, and has been embroiled in mishandling, theft, controversy and litigation ever since. Interestingly, in this version, the disciple John’s outstretched left arm seems to be is totally missing. For this painting’s later progress, see https://www.kyivpost.com/post/7373
[18] Harr, op cit at 279
[19] Philip McCouat, “Bruegel’s Peasant Wedding Feast”, Journal of Art in Society (2021) https://www.artinsociety.com/bruegels-peasant-wedding-feast.html
[20] Sergio Rossi, “Caravaggio's Excursus, news on Caravaggio and the Mattei and exclusive reflectographic analyses on The Taking of Christ and on the ex Cecconi San Francesco”, About Art online, 26 May 2021 https://www.aboutartonline.com/excursus-caravaggesco/
[21] As detailed in Harr, op cit; and Benedetti, op cit at 386
[22] Sergio Rossi, op cit
[23] Harr, op cit at 281
[24] Michael Daley, "Art's Toxic Assets and a Crisis of Connoisseurship”, ArtWatch UK, 30 September 2014
[25] Harr, op cit at 263
[26] Michael Daley, op cit, considers that, “The informed human eye is our best ‘diagnostic tool’ in the study of art and will remain so no matter how much money and resources might be thrown into technical studies”.
[27] See for example Sergio Rossi, op cit
[28] National Gallery of Ireland website, “Caravaggio: The Irish Connection” https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/caravaggio-25-years-display/caravaggio-celebrating-0
[29] Robert O’Byrne, “Lovers of art left speechless”, The Irish Times 17 November 1993; see also “Caravaggio: A masterpiece revealed” https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/caravaggio-25-years-display/caravaggio-celebrating-1
[30] Women’s Museum of Ireland website, entry for “Dr Marie Lea-Wilson” https://www.womensmuseumofireland.ie/exhibits/dr-marie-lea-wilson
© Philip McCouat 2025
RETURN TO HOME