"Caravaggio or Back side of canvas" (2010) Painting by Tatiana Mcwethy

This painting is painted in Trompe-l'œi and based on two paintings of Caravaggio: one - painted in the beginning of his career and another - at the end. "Caravaggio or Back side of canvas" tells us about life of Caravaggio and life of an artist. What we can see on the front of a canvas and what the back side could hide.

Tatiana McWethy’s painting, “Caravaggio, or Back Side of the Canvas,” is a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between artistic legacy and the hidden, often unseen, realities of creation. McWethy’s composition draws on the iconic style of Caravaggio while weaving a narrative that questions both the nature of art and the often-mysterious persona of the artist.



In this piece, McWethy revisits Caravaggio’s famous works, particularly his portrayal of Bacchus, a youthful god depicted with all the sumptuous excess of wine and revelry. However, McWethy does not just copy the image; she reimagines it, presenting Bacchus as both a symbol of creation and a reminder of the struggles artists face behind the scenes. The foreground is a rich, seductive vision of Bacchus inviting the viewer into a world of indulgence, reflecting Caravaggio’s mastery of chiaroscuro and his capacity to capture both the physical and emotional intensity of his subjects.

But it’s what McWethy does next that truly sets this piece apart: she flips the canvas over, showing us the “back