Editing Caravaggio (section)

=== Death ===

Caravaggio had a fever at the time of his death, and what killed him was a matter of controversy and rumour at the time and has been a matter of historical debate and study since.<ref name=geggel>{{cite web |url=https://www.livescience.com/63702-caravaggio-died-of-sepsis.html |title=Renaissance Master Caravaggio Didn't Die of Syphilis, but of Sepsis |work=Live Science |author=Laura Geggel |date=28 September 2018 |access-date=30 September 2018}}</ref> Contemporary rumours held that either the Tomassoni family or the Knights had him killed in revenge. Traditionally historians have long thought he died of [[syphilis]].<ref name=geggel/> Some have said he had [[malaria]], or possibly [[brucellosis]] from [[Pasteurization|unpasteurised]] dairy.<ref name=geggel/> Some scholars have argued that Caravaggio was actually attacked and killed by the same "enemies" that had been pursuing him since he fled Malta, possibly Wignacourt or factions of the Knights.<ref>Robb argues this in ''M'' beginning in chapter 20.</ref>

Caravaggio's remains were buried in Porto Ercole's San Sebastiano cemetery, which closed in 1956, and then moved to St. Erasmus cemetery, where, in 2010, archaeologists conducted a year-long investigation of remains found in three crypts and after using DNA, carbon dating, and other methods. They believe with a high degree of confidence that they have identified those of Caravaggio.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 6 October 2021 | work = The Florentine | title = Caravaggio's Remains| url = https://www.theflorentine.net/2010/07/01/caravaggios-remains/ | date= 1 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10333158 |title= Church bones 'belong to Caravaggio', researchers say |publisher=BBC News |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=18 November 2012}}</ref> Initial tests suggested Caravaggio might have died of [[lead poisoning]]—paints used at the time contained high amounts of lead salts, and Caravaggio is known to have indulged in violent behavior, as caused by lead poisoning.<ref>{{cite news|author=Tom Kington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/jun/16/caravaggio-italy-remains-ravenna-art |title=The mystery of Caravaggio's death solved at last – painting killed him |newspaper=The Guardian |date= 16 June 2010|access-date=18 November 2012 |location=London}}</ref> Later research concluded he died as the result of a wound sustained in a brawl in Naples, specifically from [[sepsis]] caused by [[Staphylococcus aureus]].<ref>Drancourt, M., Barbieri, R., Cilli, E., Gruppioni, G., Bazaj, A., Cornaglia, G., & Raoult, D. (2018). "[https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(18)30571-1/fulltext Did Caravaggio die of ''Staphylococcus aureus'' sepsis?]". ''The Lancet Infectious Diseases'', 18(11), 1178; 1 November 2018, {{doi|10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30571-1}}.</ref>

Vatican documents released in 2002 support the theory that the wealthy Tomassoni family had him hunted down and killed as a vendetta for Caravaggio's murder of gangster Ranuccio Tomassoni, in a botched attempt at castration after a duel over the affections of model Fillide Melandroni.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/1396127/Red-blooded-Caravaggio-killed-love-rival-in-bungled-castration-attempt.html|title=Red-blooded Caravaggio killed love rival in bungled castration attempt|first=Catherine |last=Milner |date=1 June 2002|via=The Telegraph |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230604223719/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/1396127/Red-blooded-Caravaggio-killed-love-rival-in-bungled-castration-attempt.html |archive-date= Jun 4, 2023 }}</ref>