Caravaggio 1573 – 1610

The Conversion of St Paul

oil on canvas (230 × 175 cm) — c. 1601
Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

This work is linked to Acts 9:4

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A rather chaotic painting with all those legs diverting the attention from the figure lying on the ground, who in addition has to do without the usual illuminating beam from heaven by which we know that he is the main character of the scene.

The man is Saul, Roman citizen traveling to Damascus, who has just seen a vision of Jesus. For the rest of his life he will be known as Paul, founder of the Church of Rome.

Caravaggio made another painting on the same subject, in the same period.