Caravaggio was born on 29 September 1571 in Milan. An Italian painter born Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio transformed European art with his dramatic use of light and shadow and his unidealized realism. Working in Rome, he painted religious scenes such as The Calling of Saint Matthew using ordinary people as models, which both scandalized and thrilled patrons. His turbulent life included brawls and a fatal duel in 1606, after which he fled Rome and worked in Naples, Malta and Sicily. His style, known as tenebrism, strongly influenced the Baroque and painters such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Velazquez.
Before and after
- from 27 August 1569 to 1 January 1860Grand Duchy of Tuscany
- 1570Construction of Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
- from 1570 to 1573Ottoman–Venetian War of 1570–1573
- 24 June 1571Founding of Manila
- 29 September 1571Birth of Caravaggio
- 7 October 1571Battle of Lepanto
- 27 December 1571Birth of Johannes Kepler
- 1572Wilhelmus
- 1572Birth of John Donne
More in Art, literature & culture
- 1 January 1519Origins of Reformed Christianity
- 1605Publication of Don Quixote
- 1652Origins of Quakers
- from 1660 to 1725Rise of Classicism
- from c. 1730s to 1780sRise of Rococo
- 1759Construction of British Museum
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.