About the artist

Caravaggio apprenticed in Milan and in 1590 went to Rome, where he established himself equally for his renowned painting technique as for his tumultuous lifestyle. After starting with still lifes and genre scenes, he turned to religious themes: breaking with Baroque artistic conventions, he adopted a realistic, naturalistic style, imbuing his saintly subjects with a common humanity. His dramatic use of chiaroscuro lighting added drama and mystery. A controversial but also highly influential artist, Caravaggio influenced succeeding generations of painters all over Europe.