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A 2 euro commemorative coin of the Vatican City State, issued on June 25, 2021, with a circulation of 61,000 copies. Dedicated to the 450th anniversary of the birth of Caravaggio. The author of the design and engraver is Uliana Pernazza (UP. INC). Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g. Minted at IPZS in Rome.
Overse
The center of the coin depicts a fragment of Caravaggio's famous painting "Boy with a Basket of Fruit" (Fanciullo con canestro di frutta, c. 1593), which is kept in the Borghese Gallery in Rome. This is one of the artist's early works, painted in oil on canvas. To the right of the image is the engraver's signature "UP. INC" (Uliana Pernazza incise). At the top is the inscription "CITTÀ DEL VATICANO", at the bottom is the word "CARAVAGGIO" and the years "1571-2021". Around the outer nickel ring are the 12 stars of the European Union arranged in a circle.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix. It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders. On the left is a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right is a map. On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the EU. The rim is finely fluted and has the inscription "2 ★", repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.
Historical context
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was one of the most prominent Italian artists of the Baroque era, a revolutionary in European painting. He was born on September 29, 1571 in Milan, although the origin of his nickname is associated with the town of Caravaggio in Lombardy, where his family came from. He became famous for his innovative use of chiaroscuro and dramatic realism, which radically changed 17th-century painting and influenced the formation of the Baroque style. Among the most famous works are "The Calling of Saint Matthias", "Judith and Holofernes", "The Supper at Emmaus", "Madonna of Loreto". He led a turbulent life, constantly getting into conflicts, and in 1606 was forced to flee Rome after an assassination. He died on July 18, 1610 in Porto Ercole at the age of 38 under unclear circumstances. His "Entombment" (c. 1602-1604) is kept in the Vatican Museums.