Art School #9 Caravaggio

Renaissance Art History was the subject so we saw all kinds of antiquated artifacts and architecture.
Thirty students were touring on a semester break in January to earn some extra credit. Most were not serious artists but rich kids who's parents could afford to send them off on an adventure. What's the easiest A in college? You guessed it, Art History.

That was perplexing to me because no one else in the group (except for the professor) seemed to have a true interest or appreciation in what we were experiencing. I soaked it in and captured it's essence on paper. We were supposed to keep a journal but I used a sketch book instead and drew everywhere we went.

The schedule was full and we entered at least one Catholic edifice every day. That is where most of the art in Italy was and we searched out every nook and cranny. 

One day we walked to Santa Maria del Popolo to see something special. We entered the empty sanctuary and saw a scaffolding towering up to the ceiling. Ongoing restoration projects were a common site and this time we saw a fresco in process. Unfortunately artisans actually working was a less common sight.

There was no one there to tell us where to find our treasure. The light was so dim that we needed a flashlight to find it. We stumbled around and peered into every corner. Just when we were ready to give up hope of finding it someone spotted it in the shadows. The professor scanned the flashlight over pieces of the huge painting; first a horse and then a body laying prone on the ground under the horse. He talked about fore-shortening and the significance of the artist's techniques.

 Conversion on The Way to Damascus by Caravaggio. What a sight and to think that anyone could stroll in here anytime and come right up and touch this 400 year old painting. So much art and so much to see once you found it.

Find out why this painting depicts the second most significant event in history.