The Calling of Saint Matthew
- Caravaggio, 1599-1560
Discussion
oil painting that depicts the moment Jesus Christ calls on the tax collector Matthew to follow him
depicts the story from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 9:9)
"Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the custom house, and said to him, 'Follow me', and Matthew rose and followed Him."
Caravaggio depicts Matthew the tax collector sitting at a table with four other men.
Jesus Christ and Saint Peter have entered the room, and Jesus is pointing at Matthew
A beam of light illuminates the faces of the men at the table who are looking at Jesus Christ.
This is a depiction of a moment of spiritual awakening and conversion, which was something many Baroque artists were interested in painting