Description
Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, painted around 1597–1600 for Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, is exceptional within Caravaggio's career. It is his only known mural painting and was executed in oil directly on the plaster ceiling of the cardinal's small cabinet in the Casino dell'Aurora in Rome.
The three gods are represented in dramatic foreshortening and were specifically conceived to be viewed from below. Jupiter appears with his eagle, while Neptune and Pluto occupy other areas of the composition, creating the illusion of figures existing above the viewer.
A celestial sphere and the traditional associations of the three gods with different realms of nature have encouraged interpretations connecting the painting with Del Monte's scientific, astrological and alchemical interests. Viewed from below, the figures and their strong foreshortening produce an effect quite different from the religious canvases for which Caravaggio became famous.
