Out of the shadows and into the Roman spotlight
Divine saints with dirty feet
Art, anger, and the fatal duel
On the run in Naples, Malta, and Sicily
The final journey and a lasting legacy
sonia Caravaggio revolutionized painting by introducing tenebrism, an extreme form of light and dark contrast that created theatrical drama.
Before painting dramatic religious scenes, what did a young Caravaggio paint as an assistant in Rome?
What painting medium did Caravaggio work with to achieve his rich, slow-drying textures?
Which powerful Roman cardinal became Caravaggio's first major patron, housing him and buying his early works?
sonia Swipe the spotlight across the canvas to discover how Caravaggio used extreme contrast for drama.
sonia In 1599, Caravaggio secured his first major public commission, painting massive canvases that instantly made him famous across Rome.
What was Caravaggio's real birth name before he took the name of his family's home town?
Which Roman chapel commission in 1599 brought Caravaggio his first major public acclaim?
sonia The Calling of Saint Matthew
He points in the dark with Adam's hand from the Sistine Chapel
How did Caravaggio physically manipulate his studio space to get his signature dramatic lighting?
What is the name of the dramatic lighting technique Caravaggio pioneered, using extreme contrasts of light and dark?
Basement studio: Caravaggio once sued his landlady for damages because he cut a hole in his rented ceiling to let in his trademark dramatic lighting.
A style of painting characterized by violent contrasts of light and dark, where darkness dominates the canvas. Caravaggio popularized this dramatic style in Rome around 1600 to paint his celebrated Contarelli Chapel commission.