Description
The Calling of Saint Matthew, painted between 1599 and 1600 for the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, depicts the moment when Christ calls the tax collector Matthew to abandon his former life and follow him.
Caravaggio transfers the biblical event to a contemporary setting. Matthew and his companions gather around a table counting money and wear clothing characteristic of the late sixteenth century. Christ and Saint Peter enter from the right, emerging partially from the darkness.
Christ extends his hand towards Matthew as a powerful beam of light crosses the room diagonally. Gesture and illumination reinforce one another, transforming Christ's physical call into a visible manifestation of divine grace. Hands and the direction of the light transform an ordinary financial gathering into a moment of profound decision before the viewer’s eyes.
