MET Presents Valentin de Boulogne: Beyond Caravaggio-Seems a Stretch

Don't get me wrong, the exquisite collection of works by Valentin de Boulogne (b. France 1591 - died Italy 1632) is a the 1st major exhibition of works by this master painter & it's puzzling why it's longtime  in coming.  The extensive collection contains 45 major works including an impressive altar piece from the Vatican.  (Unfortunately, the lighting cast on this piece makes it blurry.) What's more enigmatic is the curatorial commentary arguing Valentin's paintings as a major departure the prominent artist Caravaggio (b. Italy 1571-1610.)   Both artists of the Boroque epoch are more alike than unalike.  Having died at a young age, the assemblage of 45 of his 60 surviving paintings makes this a rare & remarkable exhibition.  Both accopmlished painters had a penchant for realistic depictions favoring biblical reenactments, mostly of bloody crucifications & martyrdoms.  I favored Valentin's paintings with more mundane subject matters; bar room scenes and gambling.  None of these paintings are lewd, rather they are much more subdued.  These paintings draw the viewer into the scene, making you part of the unfolding drama.  The absence of a floor makes the canvas expand past its frame & creates thinking outside the box.  However, my artistic eye did not discern a demarcation of Valentin's style from Caravaggio's.  Both used dark palettes & shadowy backgrounds.  Colorful accent came from a bold shade of red seen in fabrics or blood.  A hint of faded blue tones also breaks up the somber color scheme.  Even in Valentin's paintings with a musical partying motif, there is a pervasive sense of melancholy.  The show includes fascinating musical instruments from the 15th & 16th C.  An audio of the music from this period would have been an enhancement.  Valentin work is thought to influence the trend towards  the new naturalistic style of painting.  I can see where Manet's paintings may have been impacted by Valentin.  I wasn't certain how Valentin's paintings differed from Caravaggio.  Nonetheless, there is ample reason to go and see these glorious paintings and see if you think Valentin varied far beyond that of Caravaggio.