Caravaggio

In 1584, Caravaggio began a four-year apprenticeship in Milan under Simone Peterzano, who claimed to be a pupil of Titian, exposing him to Venetian color and Lombard naturalism.¹

The Cardsharps attracted the patronage of Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, leading to a series of intimate chamber pieces and establishing Caravaggio's reputation among Rome's elite.¹

In 1606, Caravaggio killed Ranuccio Tommasoni in a brawl, resulting in a death sentence. This forced him to flee Rome, beginning a period of exile in Naples, Malta, and Sicily.¹

In Malta, he joined the Order of Saint John but was imprisoned after a fight. He escaped to Sicily, where his late works became increasingly dark and introspective.¹

Caravaggio died in 1610 at age 38 while traveling to Rome to seek a papal pardon. His cause of death remains uncertain, with theories ranging from fever to murder or lead poisoning.¹

In the 20th century, art historian André Berne-Joffroy stated that modern painting begins with Caravaggio, marking a major reevaluation of his importance to Western art.¹