In Rome, there are three churches that display Caravaggio’s paintings. These places are among the best-hidden treasures in the historic center of the Eternal City. Imagine that even I, born and raised in Rome, only discovered them a few years ago. With great wonder. That wonder that only a painting by Caravaggio can give.
Talking about beauty in this case is reductive. The painting has led Michelangelo Merisi to be remembered forever as one of the most important artists in world history.
While taking a walk in Rome, you can admire six of his masterpieces freely in the churches. In this article, I will tell you where to find them, what they are about, and tips for visiting them.
It will take you about three hours to see them all, and you’ll need comfortable shoes. Be prepared to walk for about two kilometers.
Now let’s dive into this itinerary through free art in Rome.
Discover the 3 Churches with Caravaggio Paintings in Rome
1. Church of San Luigi dei Francesi
The Church of San Luigi dei Francesi dates back to the 16th century, with construction starting in 1518. It is located near other more famous monuments, such as Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, but slightly off the usual tourist routes. Travelers usually overlook it, but consider that the church is a treasure trove of Baroque art in Rome.
Here resides the French congregation of Rome. The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Louis, King of France.
Of the three naves, the one that houses the Caravaggio paintings is the left one. Once you enter the church, head straight to the Contarelli Chapel. The chapel is named after Mathieu Contarelli, who commissioned the works from Caravaggio.
Caravaggio decided to dedicate the three paintings to St. Matthew to honor the nobleman who had called him to decorate the chapel. The Caravaggio paintings in the Contarelli Chapel are three and are known as the “Cycle of St. Matthew.”
TIP: The chapel is in dim light. There’s a small machine on the side where, by inserting a 2-euro coin, you can turn on the light for two minutes.
“The Calling of Saint Matthew”
If you face the Contarelli Chapel, the first painting you encounter moving your gaze from left to right (clockwise) is the Calling of Saint Matthew.
In the painting, Christ “enters” the scene from the right edge of the canvas. His halo is barely noticeable. Along with him, a beam of light moves, representing the Grace entering the lives of men. Note Christ’s right hand, which follows the light and points to Matthew: it is a reference to the hand of the “Creation of Adam” at the center of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
St. Matthew is seated at a table with other men counting money, bearded and wearing a hat. The light illuminates his incredulous and surprised face: with wide-open eyes, he looks at Christ, pointing to himself with his left hand as if to say: “Me?”
The men seated to Matthew’s left are unaware of the divine presence. This represents the world of men: some recognize Christ and follow him, while others remain in sin, represented by the money. In front of Christ, partially covering him, is Peter, also pointing to Matthew. X-rays of Caravaggio’s canvas have shown that this figure was added by the painter later.
“Saint Matthew and the Angel”
The central canvas of the chapel is more essential, developing vertically. It represents the evangelist Matthew intent on writing the Gospel, with the angel “inspiring Matthew.” This painting conveys all human fragility. Matthew is bald, old, barefoot. He looks at the angel with devotion and fear at the same time. One of his legs is bent on a stool that rests unevenly on the ground, wobbling. Matthew is a schoolboy afraid of making mistakes.
The angel, however, is confident in his function, as shown by the gesture, with the finger slightly bent backward.
“The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew”
The painting depicts the moment before a hitman sent by Hirtacus stabs Matthew with a sword. The scene takes place inside a church where Matthew was preaching Mass. The altar is visible. Matthew was in Ethiopia, the final stop of his long preaching journeys. Here, his word had great success, managing to baptize King Egippus and his entire family. Unfortunately, the king’s brother, Hirtacus, usurped the throne and tried to marry Egippus’ daughter, seeking Matthew’s help.
Matthew opposed and publicly criticized Hirtacus. So, Hirtacus sent a hitman to kill him during Mass. The hitman’s figure dominates the center of the painting, wearing only a drape covering his nudity. Caravaggio highlights the tense muscles of the body and face to show all his aggression. The hitman brandishes the sword to strike Matthew, while holding him down with the other hand.
Matthew looks upward, where an angel offers him a palm leaf, symbolizing salvation in the kingdom of heaven. There are other figures in the painting, those who attended the Mass, some fleeing, others watching the scene in terror. In the background, on the left, appears the face of Caravaggio himself, watching the scene with pity.
2. Church of Sant’Agostino
A short distance from the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi is the Church of Sant’Agostino. In the first chapel of the left nave, you will find the Virgin of the Pilgrims. The commissioner is the Bolognese Marquis Ermete Cavalletti.
Here, the painting is closer to the viewer compared to the paintings in the cycle of St. Matthew. You need the usual 2-euro coins to operate the lighting. You will enjoy the view because there are also fewer visitors than in the other church.
“Virgin of the Pilgrims”
A Virgin Mary stands, leaning against a door frame, with a two- or three-year-old child in her arms. She has the appearance and attitude of a woman of the people, of humble circumstances. The author does nothing to elevate her above earthly life.
The light in the painting illuminates the woman’s neck, shoulders, and face, enhancing her beauty and the sweet gaze directed at the pilgrims. All of Caravaggio’s mastery is concentrated in rendering the woman’s garments, which fall in many folds over her arm. The child’s hair is blonde and fine.
It seems that the model Caravaggio was inspired by was a certain Lena, his friend in those years, who also had a child the age of the child in the painting. Other noteworthy details are the kneeling pilgrims. They are common people, with simple and dirty clothes, as well as their feet, which Caravaggio highlights.
3. Church of Santa Maria del Popolo
The Church of Santa Maria del Popolo is right next to Piazza del Popolo, near the ancient northern entrance to the city. Although less known than other squares in Rome, Piazza del Popolo is equally spectacular and rich in treasures: Caravaggio’s paintings are the jewel in the crown.
Instead of being in the scenic Twin Churches, the paintings are in the church near the Porta del Popolo. Upon entering, proceed along the left nave to the Cerasi Chapel at the end of the nave. Here too, you will need to insert a 2-euro coin to see the paintings well.
The commissioner of these two works was Tiberio Cerasi, then the pope’s treasurer. He was enchanted by the paintings of the Contarelli Chapel (cycle of St. Matthew) and wanted “eternal” works in his own chapel as well.
“The Conversion of Saint Paul”
The Conversion of Saint Paul is a very famous painting and is easily remembered because it completely subverts the canons of religious art of the time. According to the Gospels, the soldier Saul of Tarsus (later Paul), a Jewish city under Roman rule, was traveling to Damascus to persecute the Jews on horseback. During the journey, the divine light appeared to him. The influence of the apparition was so great that he decided to convert to Christianity, abandoning his work serving the persecutors.
Beyond any expectation, the main element of the painting is the horse, while St. Paul is on the ground with his arms outstretched to the sky, overwhelmed by the vision. At that moment, the power of the animal is felt, even slightly turning its back to the viewer. The stableman holds up one of the horse’s front legs to prevent it from crushing the saint lying on the ground. The light dominating the painting comes from above.
The Crucifixion of Saint Peter
This painting, another by Caravaggio in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, conveys strong realism. It seems that the first project for this painting was rejected. Here the only visible face is that of Peter, old and frightened, fragile. He is the founder of the Church of Rome, depicted in all his humanity, fragile, “earthly.” His executioners are lifting him from the ground onto the cross, their backs bent in the act, their faces hidden. The viewer, looking at the painting, is exposed to emotions from the tragedy occurring, which will ultimately lead to the saint’s death.
Here too, Caravaggio enters the works on tiptoe, leaving space for the realism that distinguishes his art.
Wrap-up
If you follow this itinerary I proposed among the Churches of Rome with Caravaggio’s paintings, I am sure that the works of this artist will fascinate you, and you will want to know more. This is exactly what happened to me. Caravaggio stood out among all the artists of his time for his personal life as well as his skill.
He, although of dignified origins, decided to live in contact with the less fortunate: beggars, prostitutes, people who could not be further from those who commissioned his art. Caravaggio believed they were closest to Christ and depicted them in his paintings instead of saints and virgins. This is what alienated him from the Church hierarchy and inevitably led to his downfall, exile, and death by an unknown hand.
He lived his life with courage and passion and never regretted his “artistic heresy.” His works have reached museums around the world, and it is fortunate that you can admire some of the most important ones simply by walking around Rome freely. Don’t miss them.