Boy Bitten by a Lizard
Caravaggio Β· 1594
Why it's great
A boy with a rose behind his ear jerks back, screaming in pain, as a lizard bites his finger. Caravaggio painted it in about 1594, and the quick, shocked expression is brilliantly caught.
Where to see it
π National GalleryCity of Westminster, United Kingdom
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Caravaggio was an Italian painter born in 1571, whose real name was Michelangelo Merisi. He painted dramatic scenes lit by a strong beam of light with deep shadows and used ordinary people as models. He had a violent temper, had to flee Rome after a fight, and died in 1610.