"Caravaggio was born Michelangelo Merisi in 1570 or 1571, in Caravaggio in Lombardy, and moved to Rome in 1592, when he was in his 20s. His earliest influences were Lombard art, a style which has been noted for its realism. The relation between objects and natural and artificial light, which is an important feature of Caravaggio's work, was assimilated from this local tradition. The author examines the life and work of this innovative artist, including...