CARAVAGGIO: Portrait of a Maltese Knight

Portrait of a Maltese Knight During his tumultuous final years, Caravaggio created this striking portrait while seeking refuge in Malta after fleeing Rome in 1606. The work exemplifies his masterful use of dramatic chiaroscuro—the interplay of light and shadow—to capture both the sitter's noble bearing and the artist's own turbulent state of mind. Painted for the Knights of Malta, the portrait reveals Caravaggio's ability to flatter his patrons while maintaining the psychological intensity that defined his revolutionary approach to portraiture.