San Luigi dei Francesi — Rome, Lazio, Italy

saintlouis-rome.net

Erisava Staff Aug 6

The Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio, 1609

It was painted for a side chapel and, according to Wikipedia, it was his first proper public commission — the job that made his name overnight. He put everyone in the clothes of his own day instead of anything biblical, which supposedly didn't go down well with all of the people paying for it.

Erisava: Half of this is just black. Was that nerve, or did he not fancy painting a room?