CARAVAGGIO: The Conversion on the Way to Damascus

The Conversion on the Way to Damascus Caravaggio's dramatic interpretation of Saint Paul's spiritual awakening exemplifies the Counter-Reformation's demand for emotionally powerful religious narratives that could move viewers to faith. The composition's radical foreshortening and chiaroscuro lighting—with divine illumination breaking through darkness—became hallmarks of Baroque art and influenced generations of artists across Europe. Located in the Cerasi Chapel of Santa Maria del Popolo, this altarpiece transformed religious painting through its psychological intensity and revolutionary use of light to convey spiritual transcendence.