Caravaggio at the Church of Saint Louis of the French

As part of our trip, we visited the Church of Saint Louis of the French. It is the national church of France in Rome.

Commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici (Pope Clement VII) for the French community in Rome. 

Very special because it holds Caravaggio masterpieces in situ on the life of Saint Matthew.

More information here: Walking Tours of Rome - San Luigi dei Francesi: ​Cappella Contarelli

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The façade and the nave

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The Contarelli Chapel

Named after a French cardinal who died in the 16th century and left instructions for its decoration with scenes from the life of the saint.

The Chapel containing the paintings by Caravaggio.

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The Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio

Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro floods the painting with dramatic divine light.

The light & finger point accusatively toward Saint Matthew.

The drama heightened by everyone’s confusion.

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The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio

A violent death for Saint Matthew.

According to tradition, martyred while celebrating Mass by a soldier.

That soldier is the focus of attention and the contrast between

vulnerability and strength captures the very moment.

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The Inspiration of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio

An angel guiding Saint Matthew as he writes the Gospel.

This is a second version of the same painting. The first has since been lost:

Caravaggio actually painted two versions of the altarpiece. His first painting was rejected and he was obliged to paint a second version, the work we see today. According to Bellori's account of Caravaggio's life in his book Vite de' Pittori, Scultori et Architetti Moderni (1672), 'the priests took it down saying that the figure with its legs crossed and its feet rudely exposed to the public, had neither decorum nor the appearance of a saint'. The rejected painting was snapped up by Vincenzo Giustiniani, a rich banker and art collector. It ended up in a gallery in Berlin, where, sadly, it perished during the second world war. 

First version.