Caravaggio’s Conversion of Saint Paul

A blinding light, a man flat on his back, and an enormous horse trying very hard not to step on him. Why did Caravaggio paint a religious miracle like this? My friends, hold my bridle. It's time to get horsey. In this episode of Art History Fun with Dr. Bryan, we look at Caravaggio's The Conversion of Saint Paul (1600–01), in the Cerasi Chapel of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. In the Book of Acts, Saul is on the road to Damascus when a light from heaven knocks him to the ground and a voice asks, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Caravaggio's first version, on cypress wood, was crowded with figures and a Christ descending from the clouds, and it was turned down. So he started over: no angels, no armies, just a draft horse, a groom, and a man sprawled on his back with his arms thrown wide. We'll compare it with Raphael's and Michelangelo's grand versions of the same story, see how the cramped chapel puts you down in the dirt with Saul, and follow Caravaggio's spotlight as it lands on the horse, Saul's hands, and his chest. CHAPTERS 0:00 Why is he under a horse? 0:29 Caravaggio, never subtle 1:00 The Cerasi Chapel 1:28 The version that didn't make the cut 2:02 Why the first draft was rejected 2:19 Back to the drawing board 2:39 The story in Acts 3:32 Raphael's version 4:47 Michelangelo's version 5:28 A bar fight on a security camera 5:54 Inside the Cerasi Chapel 6:13 Down in the dirt with Saul 7:12 Chiaroscuro, or tenebrism 7:54 Where the light lands 8:31 Grace like a ton of bricks 9:10 Worth the trip to Santa Maria del Popolo Which version would you have picked, the first or the second? Tell me in the comments. WATCH NEXT At the same time, across Rome, Caravaggio was aiming another beam of light at a tax collector named Matthew →    • Caravaggio’s Calling of Saint Matthew, Exp...   BAROQUE DRAMA Caravaggio, Rubens, Artemisia, Bernini, Rembrandt, and Velázquez, in order →    • Baroque Drama: Caravaggio, Artemisia, Bern...   New art history videos every weekday. Subscribe so you don't miss the next masterpiece, and let's enjoy some art together. FIND US ON FACEBOOK Art History Fun with Dr. Bryan → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... I'm Dr. Bryan Zygmont, professor of art history at Mount St. Mary's University. Thanks for sticking around! #Caravaggio #Baroque #ArtHistory