The Martyrdom of St Matthew

A legend has is that the apostle Matthew was murdered in a church in Ethiopia because he had inconvenienced the local king. Caravaggio shows the moment just before Matthew is stabbed to death. men on the foreground are probably waiting to be baptized. On the left is a group of bystanders dressed in late 16th century fashion. The man in the back, who turns his head to see what is going on, is probably the master himself.

The attitude of the figures, the play with light and darkness, the threat from the man with the sword and the overall circular composition make this a truly amazingly dynamic painting.