Caravaggio, Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601. The painting records the moment when Saul of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus to annihilate the Christian community there, is struck blind by a brilliant light and hears the voice of Christ saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?...And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice..." (Acts 22:6-11). Conversion of St. Paul Laurent de La Hyre 1637/1640. The Conversion of Saint Paul. At a young age his parents sent him to Jerusalem to be instructed in the Mosaic Law under the greatest Rabbi of his time, Gamaliel. This painting in very different from other paintings of religious scenes. But as early as this stained glass window from the mid-14th century some artists were showing Paul thrown from a horse. Caravaggio, Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 Caravaggio painted the Conversion of Saint Paul for the Cerasi Chapel in the Roman church of Santa Maria del Popolo. Previously an avid persecutor of Christians, Saul—as he was originally known—was struck by temporary blindness while en route to the city of Damascus. The Conversion of Saint Paul (or Conversion of Saul), by the Italian painter Caravaggio, is housed in the Odescalchi Balbi Collection of Rome. Created between 1600 and 1601, this conversion, like the Cerasi Chapel painting, uses Caravaggio’s trademark light and dark or chiaroscuro technique to depict a … Some of his best-known works of art are Sick Bacchus, The Musicians, Head of the Medusa, The Conversion of St. Paul, The Entombment of Christ, and The Beheading of St. John. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. There is a detail in the story that I have often pondered. Caravaggio greatly influenced later artists, from Italy and elsewhere. The Conversion of Saul is believed to be done between 1542 and 1545. Michelangelo Merisi (1573-1610), better known as Caravaggio, had a huge influence on Italian painting during the seventeenth century. He was on his way to Damascus , tracking down christians, when God knocked him off his trusty steed. This altarpiece depicts the conversion of St. Paul, one of the fathers of the Christian church. At his circumcision, he was given the Hebrew name Saul. Some of Caravaggio’s most famous paintings include The Calling of St. Mathew, St. Thomas, The Conversion of St. Paul, The Entombment, and The Crowning of the Christ. Because of this, Caravaggio has often been criticized for the ordinariness of his religious depictions. The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York City, United States. The artist emphasized the drama and emotion of the moment by undercutting the horse's head and front leg and by carving Paul with foreshortening and in the greatest depth to suggest projection into the viewer's space. This tradition continues at least until this fresco from 1477-82. View Flashcards . It was done in the year 1600 and although I can’t find anything that says exactly where it was painted, my guess is it was painted in France. Caravaggio painted the Conversion of Saint Paul for the Cerasi Chapel in the Roman church of Santa Maria del Popolo. *For more on Caravaggio and his significance as an artist, below is an episode about him from an Art History series called The Power Of Art. The Conversion of Saint Paul (or Conversion of Saul), by the Italian painter Caravaggio, is housed in the Odescalchi Balbi Collection of Rome. Italian Baroque. Caravaggio is best known for being a renowned yet controversial Italian painter of the late 1500s and early 1600s. Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more. Caravaggio depicted Saint Paul at the moment of his conversion, lying on his back with his hands thrown up in the air and his eyes closed. The Age of Mannerism The Art Association of Indianapolis 2/14/1954 - 3/28/1954 Masterworks from University and College Art ... Nazi-Era Provenance Artist: Georg Pencz German, c. 1500-1550. Artist, Name, Era . Caravaggio has also been called brilliant and genius.