The Calling of Saint Matthew
Caravaggio · 1609
Why it's great
Christ points at a tax collector sitting with friends at a table, and a beam of light falls across the room. Caravaggio painted it in 1599 to 1600, and the question is whether the man points to himself and says, 'Who, me?'
Where to see it
📍 San Luigi dei FrancesiRome, Italy
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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.
