The Calling of Saint Matthew
Artist: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Year Composed: 1600
Artistic Movement: Baroque
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: First Floor
Year Composed: 1600
Artistic Movement: Baroque
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: First Floor
About the Artwork
Depicting the climactic moment in which Jesus Christ persuades Matthew to follow him, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio painted his grand The Calling of Saint Matthew in 1599. It currently resides within the Contarelli Chapel of San Luigi dei Francesi (Rome, Italy) alongside his two other paintings of Saint Matthew: The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (1600) and The Inspiration of Saint Matthew (1602). The trio of paintings essentially represent the biblical life of Matthew. Within The Calling of Saint Matthew, Caravaggio's use of chiaroscuro is extremely apparent. This intense contrast of light and dark tones adds to the drama and grandeur of the piece. The light that comes from the upper-right portion of the canvas (that illuminates the saint) is actually a play on the chapel implemented by Caravaggio. Within the Contarelli Chapel, there is a small window that shines light within the otherwise-dark chapel. The light from the window shines exactly in the same angle and direction as painted within the corner by Caravaggio within The Calling of Saint Matthew.
About the Artist
Better known as just Caravaggio, this Italian painter rivaled the Carracci Brothers and their Academy for setting the aesthetic tone of Baroque art. His grand canvases were not only realistic in depicting figures, objects, and nature, but also dove into a person's emotion and soul. Caravaggio used the element of chiaroscuro (which is the technique to paint extreme light tones with extreme dark tones for a dramatic contrast) to express highly-dramatic and emotional scenes within his paintings. His drama and captivating grandeur can be seen within his Crucifixion of Saint Peter (1601), Judith Beheading Holofernes (1599), and the Calling of Saint Matthew (1600).
About the Movement
The Calling of Saint Matthew was composed in the Baroque Age of art. After the Renaissance Age, Baroque art was encouraged and influenced by the Catholic Church and the Counter Reformation to bring citizens back to Catholicism from the simple and austere Protestantism. Baroque art tended to be highly decorative and extravagant, creating dramatic scenes and vivid narratives through its painting and sculpture. Some of the most famous Baroque artists included Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Carracci Brothers (Annibale, Agostino, and Ludovico), Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona.
Location of Original Work of Art: Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Italy
Depicting the climactic moment in which Jesus Christ persuades Matthew to follow him, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio painted his grand The Calling of Saint Matthew in 1599. It currently resides within the Contarelli Chapel of San Luigi dei Francesi (Rome, Italy) alongside his two other paintings of Saint Matthew: The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (1600) and The Inspiration of Saint Matthew (1602). The trio of paintings essentially represent the biblical life of Matthew. Within The Calling of Saint Matthew, Caravaggio's use of chiaroscuro is extremely apparent. This intense contrast of light and dark tones adds to the drama and grandeur of the piece. The light that comes from the upper-right portion of the canvas (that illuminates the saint) is actually a play on the chapel implemented by Caravaggio. Within the Contarelli Chapel, there is a small window that shines light within the otherwise-dark chapel. The light from the window shines exactly in the same angle and direction as painted within the corner by Caravaggio within The Calling of Saint Matthew.
About the Artist
Better known as just Caravaggio, this Italian painter rivaled the Carracci Brothers and their Academy for setting the aesthetic tone of Baroque art. His grand canvases were not only realistic in depicting figures, objects, and nature, but also dove into a person's emotion and soul. Caravaggio used the element of chiaroscuro (which is the technique to paint extreme light tones with extreme dark tones for a dramatic contrast) to express highly-dramatic and emotional scenes within his paintings. His drama and captivating grandeur can be seen within his Crucifixion of Saint Peter (1601), Judith Beheading Holofernes (1599), and the Calling of Saint Matthew (1600).
About the Movement
The Calling of Saint Matthew was composed in the Baroque Age of art. After the Renaissance Age, Baroque art was encouraged and influenced by the Catholic Church and the Counter Reformation to bring citizens back to Catholicism from the simple and austere Protestantism. Baroque art tended to be highly decorative and extravagant, creating dramatic scenes and vivid narratives through its painting and sculpture. Some of the most famous Baroque artists included Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Carracci Brothers (Annibale, Agostino, and Ludovico), Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona.
Location of Original Work of Art: Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Italy