t the Academia de San Luca. He accused Caravaggio of attacking him as he came home with a French painter, Horace Le Blanc, from a late evenings study at the Accademia. Apparently he was knocking on the door of the candle-maker for candles, he was attacked by Caravaggio who put blow upon blow to his shoulders. It is said that some butchers with lanterns then came over and Caravaggio drew his sword, tearing the heavy cloak with which Spampa was trying to protect himself. At this point Caravaggio fled, which is when Spampa noted that he recognized his attacker(Langdon 256-257). Many say that Caravaggio had a major lack for human feeling. A story is told by Mancini that Caravaggio had broken a most sacred familial bond by refusing to recognize a priest who claimed to be his brother, and by going as far as to say he didnt even have a brother. The Cardinal del Monte and his entourage were horrified by Caravaggios behavior, the more so because it was well known that he did have a brother. Provided the story is true, it would explain the bitterness that had been accumulating in Caravaggio for a long time, and which caused his loneliness and lack of attachment to his family (Friedlander 118). Of these nightly brushes with the law, many are small disturbances of the peace. He was once in the police records for throwing stones at a landlady with which he had been quarreling. On another occasion he hurled a plate of artichokes at a waiters head and threatened him with a sword, apparently because the waiter had given him an insolent answer. He was also arrested by the constables who he insulted for asking to see his license to carry his weapon. He assaulted a notary on account of a woman, Lena, whom he was dating at the time. Later in Malta he was again unable to restrain his hot temper; he offended a Caveliere di Giustitia, his superior, and was thrown into prison(Friedlander118-119). As you can see, Caravaggio was well known for his...
