Caravaggio's Public Debut

The three canvases in the Cappella Contarelli, inside San Luigi dei Francesi (St Louis of the French), mark a turning point in art history: Caravaggio's first major public commission, painted between 1599 and 1602. With this cycle devoted to St Matthew, the Lombard painter reinvented sacred art, bringing a raw realism and a dramatic light no church had ever seen. Seeing the works in person, lit for just a few minutes by the coin-operated system, is an unforgettable experience.

The Calling of St Matthew

The most celebrated canvas is The Calling of St Matthew: Christ steps into a darkened room and, with a gesture of his hand (echoing Adam's in the Sistine Chapel), summons Matthew, who sits counting coins with a group of men. A shaft of light cuts across the scene, a symbol of grace breaking into everyday life. Matthew's astonishment — "Me?" — is rendered with extraordinary psychological power. It is one of the most studied and beloved images in Western art.

The Martyrdom of St Matthew

On the opposite wall, The Martyrdom of St Matthew captures the violent instant of the saint's killing as he celebrates Mass. The composition is crowded and brutal, full of motion and figures fleeing in panic. Above, an angel reaches down to offer Matthew the palm of martyrdom. Caravaggio also slipped in a self-portrait among the faces in the background: a bearded man watching the scene unfold.

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St Matthew and the Angel

The central altarpiece, St Matthew and the Angel (The Inspiration of St Matthew), shows the aging saint writing the Gospel under an angel's guidance. It is in fact the second version: the first, judged too "common" and irreverent (with a coarse-looking Matthew and dirty feet in the foreground), was rejected and replaced. That first version was later destroyed during the war: only this one survives, more composed yet just as intense.

The Revolution of Light

The thread running through the cycle is light: Caravaggio works the sharp contrast between shadow and light (chiaroscuro, pushed to its extreme in tenebrism) to heighten the drama and focus the eye. In the Cappella Contarelli, the painted light seems to converse with the real light pouring in through the window: a calculated effect that shifts with the hour of the day. That is exactly why it pays to visit with the right light and the illumination switched on.

How to See Them at Their Best

  • Bring coins: to switch on the chapel lighting.
  • Save The Calling for last: let the masterpiece be your grand finale.
  • Hunt for Caravaggio's self-portrait in The Martyrdom.
  • Skip peak hours: the chapel is small and gets crowded fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Caravaggios are in the Cappella Contarelli? Three: The Calling of St Matthew, The Martyrdom of St Matthew and St Matthew and the Angel (The Inspiration of St Matthew), painted between 1599 and 1602.

Which one is the most famous? The Calling of St Matthew, with its shaft of light and the gesture of Christ summoning Matthew: one of Caravaggio's most celebrated works.

Is it true there's a self-portrait of Caravaggio? Yes: in The Martyrdom of St Matthew, among the faces in the background, you can spot a bearded man widely believed to be a self-portrait of the painter.

Why is St Matthew and the Angel the "second version"? Because the first was rejected as too irreverent (Matthew looked coarse, with dirty feet in the foreground). It was replaced by this more composed version; the first was destroyed during the war.

Do you have to pay to see Caravaggio's works at San Luigi dei Francesi? No: entry to the church is free. You only need coins for the lighting system that brings the canvases to life.

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Article #346 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026