Caravaggio | Revolution: Baroque Masterpieces from the Roberto Longhi Foundation

April 26 - October 25, 2026

Uptown

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About

Featuring one original masterpiece by Caravaggio and more than 40 works by Baroque masters, the exhibition shines a light on how Caravaggio's radical realism transformed not only painting, but the very language of modern film, photography, and popular culture.

Mint Museum Uptown – Level 4

Special exhibition admission: +$10

Caravaggio’s Boy Bitten by a Lizard is a rare treasure as fewer than 60 works in total are attributed to Caravaggio who died at the young age of 38. Surrounding Boy Bitten by a Lizard are paintings created by other leading Baroque masters who painted in the style of Caravaggio, including Matthias Stomer, Valentin d Boulogne, and Jusepe de Ribera.

All paintings on view are on loan from the Roberto Longhi Foundation located in Florence, Italy. Together, these works illuminate the extraordinary impact of Caravaggio’s use of shadow and light, realism, and dramatic intensity on an entire generation painters.

From the canvas to the silver screen

Caravaggio’s revolutionary use of light and shadow, known as “chiaroscuro,” paired with his unflinching depiction of the non-idealized masses shattered the polished conventions of 17th-century art. His emotionally charged realism shocked his contemporaries and ignited a movement that swept across Europe.

This exhibition connects that 400-year-old creative spark to the imagery that defines our time. Through film clips, photographs, and commentary from modern masters including Martin Scorsese, Isaac Julien, David LaChapelle, and Tom Hunter as well as iconic music videos like R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” and Johnny Cash’s “Hurt,” the exhibition reveals how Caravaggio’s vision continues to shape the visual language of storytelling today.

 

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Featuring select works on view in Caravaggio | Revolution

Listen to the Audio Descriptions

Experience the exhibition in new ways with audio descriptions for select works on view. Created as an accessibility resource, these guided descriptions provide rich, detailed narration of selected paintings and gallery spaces, helping ensure all visitors can fully engage with the exhibition. Access the audio descriptions through Bloomberg Connects, our free digital museum guide, and discover tools designed to make your visit more accessible, inclusive, and connected to the art.

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Leading Luminaries

Media Partners

Caravaggio Circle

Betsy and Alfred Brand

Baroque Circle

Jane and Hugh McColl, Pat Rodgers, and Leigh-ann and Martin Sprock

Chiaroscuro Circle

Beverly and Jim Hance, Anna McKeithen Webersen, Laura McKeithen, Susan and Loy McKeithen, Marshelette and Milton Prime, Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach, and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation

Signature Supporter

Sarah and Tim Belk, Mary and Charles Bowman, and Jo Ann and Joddy Peer

Studio Supporter

Marty and Weston Andress, Mary Lou and Jim Babb, and Robin and Bill Branstrom.

The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the City of Charlotte and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Caravaggio | Revolution is organized by the Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi and Civita Mostre e Musei, in collaboration with The Mint Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

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